The Dutch Association of Journalists ( Dutch: ''Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten'', NVJ) is a national

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

for journalists, part of the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions. Anyone who fits the description of journalist in the broadest sense of the term can become a member. This includes reporters, investigative journalists, photographers, editors and producers. Both those who work full-time or part-time in any of these capacities are members. The association publishes the ''Villamedia Magazine'', focused on journalism news. The aims of the association are to defend the

freedom of the press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic Media (communication), media, especially publication, published materials, shoul ...

against governmental and other threats, as well as to defend and improve the work conditions of journalists. The association also strives to defend and maintain journalistic integrity and ethics. It provides legal aid to its members, gives out press cards, and takes part in conflict-resolution between journalists and their employers, and engages in strike action. As of November 2023 the chair of the NVJ is Folkert Jensma, former editor-in-chief of the '' NRC'', who was elected with 95% of the vote. Rowan Blijd was elected vice-chair.

History

In 1884 the Dutch Journalist Circle (Dutch: ''Nederlandse Journalisten Kring'', NJK'')'' was founded by A.G.C. van Duyl senior, then editor in chief of the '' Algemeen Dagblad''. The NJK's aim was to increase solidarity among journalists and serve as a platform for them to discuss and advance their interests. In 1898 prominent journalist, theologian and future Prime Minister Abraham Kuyper became chair of the NJK, greatly raising its reputation and influence. Due to the pillarization of the Netherlands at the time, Catholics and Protestants set up their own alternative journalistic associations in the years after the NJK's founding. However, the NJK remained the largest and most influential, with the Catholic association having 14 publications as its members in 1902 as opposed to the 250 members of the NJK. In 1949 the various journalistic associations decided to cooperate in the Federation of Dutch Journalists (FNJ), which in 1968, with the erosion of pillarization, combined to form the NVJ.

Campaigns and actions

In 2022 the NVJ, together with other press freedom groups, began a legal case in the

European Court of Justice The European Court of Justice (ECJ), officially the Court of Justice (), is the supreme court of the European Union in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Union, it is tasked with interpreting ...

against the banning of Russian state media channels '' RT'' and ''

Sputnik Sputnik 1 (, , ''Satellite 1''), sometimes referred to as simply Sputnik, was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space progra ...

'' in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine War. General-secretary of the NVJ Thomas Bruning said that although they do not agree with the state propaganda output of these channels, it is dangerous for the democratic order to allow governments to ban them. On 30 November 2023 the NVJ engaged in a warning strike to express their dissatisfaction with negotiations over a new collective agreement concerning wages. Outlets such as De Volskrant, NRC,

Trouw ''Trouw'' (; ) is a Dutch daily newspaper appearing in compact size. It was founded in 1943 as an orthodox Protestant underground newspaper during World War II. Since 2009, it has been owned by DPG Media (known as De Persgroep until 2019). '' ...

and Het Parool participated in the strike. On 18 December an agreement was reached between the NVJ and employers DGP Media and

Mediahuis Mediahuis (; ) is a European multinational newspaper and magazine publishing, distribution, printing, television, radio and online media company founded in 2014 with assets in Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg and Germany. Mediahuis ...

, with a 9.4 percent wage increase starting in January 2024, and an additional 2 percent in 2025. In June 2024 it was reported that the Dutch

General Intelligence and Security Service The General Intelligence and Security Service ( ; AIVD) is the intelligence and security agency of the Netherlands, tasked with domestic, foreign and signals intelligence and protecting national security as well as assisting the Five Eyes in i ...

(AIVD) and Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) had recruited journalists to act as their agents domestically and abroad, for which they were paid. This was confirmed in a parliamentary oversight committee (CTIVD) report. The NVJ criticized this, with its general-secretary Thomas Bruning saying: "I am ashamed of those who cooperate with this." The CTIVD also criticized the use of journalists by the AIVD and MIVD, saying they did not properly take into account the risks involved in this activity, particularly in high-risk foreign countries.

International affiliations

The NVJ is a member of

International Freedom of Expression Exchange IFEX, formerly International Freedom of Expression Exchange, is a global network of more than 119 independent non-governmental organisations that work at a local, national, regional, or international level to defend and promote freedom of expre ...

, a virtual network of non-governmental organizations that protects the right to freedom of speech globally, and campaigns to defend journalists, writers and others who are persecuted for exercising their right to free speech. De NVJ is a member of the

European Federation of Journalists The European Federation of Journalists is the European regional organisation of the International Federation of Journalists. It describes itself as the largest organisation of journalists in Europe, and says it represents about 320,000 journalists ...

(EFJ) and the

International Federation of Journalists The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the largest global union federation of journalists' trade unions in the world. It represents more than 600,000 media workers from 187 organisations in 146 countries. The IFJ is an associate ...

(IFJ).

Membership

{, class="wikitable" !Year !Membership !Comments , - , 1997 , 7705 , , - , 1998 , 8140 , , - , 1999 , 8634 , , - , 2000 , 9025 , , - , 2001 , 9209 , Increase in membership due in part to recruitment efforts started in 2000 , - , 2002 , 9530 , , - , 2003 , 9285 , , - , 2004 , 8998 , , - , 2005 , 8675 , , - , 2006 , 8480 , , - , 2007 , 8183 , Loss of members due in part to purging of non-due paying members, shrinking of the journalistic profession, and reorganization of media sectors. , - , 2008 , 8243 , , - , 2009 , 8313 , , - , 2010 , 8184 , , - , 2011 , 7944 , , - , 2012 , 7651 , , - , 2013 , 7398 , , - , 2020 , 7904 , , - , 2021 , 8320 , , - , 2022 , 7886https://www.nvj.nl/system/files_force/NVJ%20Jaarverslag%202022.pdf ,

References

Trade unions Journalism organizations