According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), decent work means dignity, equality, fair remuneration and safe working conditions. However, all too often these conditions are not met in the media sector. Journalists and media workers often sacrifice their right to decent working conditions in the name of their vocation as a journalist, i.e. to serve democracy and uphold the public’s right to information.
Journalists around the world are underpaid and work long hours in precarious working conditions. Often, they do not even have a contract. A recent survey by the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the IFJ’s pan-African group, showed that the working conditions of African journalists have deteriorated dramatically in the last few years. An alarming 61% of respondents reported that their income from journalism does not meet their basic living needs, while only 4% indicated that their salaries adequately cover essential costs.
A survey conducted recently by E tū members in New Zealand found that 60% of respondents did not see themselves still working as journalists in ten years’ time. In Brazil, the Federação Nacional dos Jornalistas (FENAJ) published a new study revealing that 50% of journalists and media workers surveyed had experienced symptoms of depression, insomnia and stress associated with workplace violence.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Across the world, unions are demanding decent work in the media sector and the right for journalists to get organised.In Namibia, the IFJ reported employers for threatening media workers from two media outlets, Free Press of Namibia and Namibia Media Trust, with disciplinary action over sick leave. The IFJ also reported these media outlets for monitoring media workers during working hours. In Hong Kong, the BBC bureau dismissed five journalists, following years of pressure over their participation in the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA). In the United States, media workers employed by Le Monde in Los Angeles staged a one-day protest against unfair management practices in negotiations over their collective agreement.
The power of organising
Recent actions show that unions have played a crucial role in supporting all media workers, strengthening their collective organisation and defending their right to decent and fair working conditions.
In the United States, the Supreme Court ruled in October that the former owners of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette must pay millions of dollars in compensation to members of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh for implementing pay cuts and other unilateral changes to their working conditions. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers, who belong to the News Guild, an affiliate of the IFJ, went on strike for three years due to unfair practices.
In Germany, the country’s public service broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, reversed its decision to abolish the Greek-language service in September, following joint action by the German Journalists’ Union (dju) in ver.di and the Union of Journalists of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN) in Greece, among other actors. It will avoid job losses and reinforce the essential role of public service media in informing the public.
In Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Union of Journalists and Communicators (SINAPEC) secured a seat on the National Salaries Council for the workers’ sector, alongside other colleagues from the country’s trade union confederation in August. Defending the workers’ interests lies at the heart of union activity.
In Türkiye, journalists and media workers at the AFP bureau in Istanbul ended their 12-day strike in July by securing a 27% wage increase. This followed industrial action led by the Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikasi (TGS) and fully backed by the IFJ.
On World Day for Decent Work, the IFJ and its affiliates are calling on media organisations and governments worldwide to guarantee the rights that every media worker is entitled to, including:
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Fair wages
Dignity at work
Safety and protection in the field, in the newsrooms and online
A say in technology-related changes
A right to organise themselves
Strong collective agreements
IFJ President Zuliana Lainez said: “Journalists are workers, and decent work is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Unions are essential to defending fair pay, secure employment and dignified working conditions across the media sector, while protecting workers from pressure, harassment and abuse. On World Day for Decent Work, we reaffirm that a strong and organised media workforce is vital to ensuring that journalists can do their jobs with security, independence and dignity.”