The President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Maja Sever, on behalf of the 300,000 journalists represented by the EFJ in 44 European countries, expressed her full solidarity with the Italian journalists on strike on Thursday 28 November to demand the renewal of their national collective agreement.
“Everywhere in Europe, journalists are faced with increasingly precarious working conditions, which prevent them from fully fulfilling their mission of providing information to the public,” insists Maja Sever. “There can be no real public interest journalism without decent working conditions for journalists. This is why the general strike is a powerful act, not aimed at granting privileges to media workers, but at guaranteeing the right of Italian citizens to access free, independent and pluralist information”.
“Throughout Europe, authoritarian and populist political leaders and those in power are joining forces to put journalists in a precarious position and prevent them from playing their role as watchdogs of democracy”, continues Maja Sever. “Employers in the media sector must understand that their titles will lose all credibility if they continue to devalue the profession. It is up to the public authorities to encourage fair collective agreements at a time when journalists are under attack from all sides”.
A report by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on working conditions for journalists in Europe is due to be adopted in the next few days. It is expected to paint a bleak picture of the profession, in terms of labour conditions, mental health and the threats faced by journalists. “This reality cannot go unchallenged by the authorities,” concludes Maja Sever. “Bravo to the Italian journalists for their strike action. Let them know that we are behind them in every corner of Europe. Their fight is our fight”.
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Source: EFJ
