The
European Federation of Journalists today condemned a
"rogue" media management in Romania over anti-union
policies and victimisation of journalists which have undermined efforts to
create a new culture of industrial relations in Romanian media. The EFJ says
the actions of the Adevarul media group in failing to meet
its legal responsibilities over workers rights is a shameful betrayal of
efforts to improve social dialogue and co-operation between unions and
media in Romania.
"We firmly
condemn the actions of this company which reflect an anti-union
culture that prevails in much of Romanian media," said EFJ General
Secretary Aidan White. "It is absolutely reprehensible to act against
journalists and other workers when they ask for no more than their basic
rights under labour law. The EFJ says that media managements must open the door
to social dialogue and build a new culture based upon respect for the rights of
all media staff.
The dispute
arose when the EFJ affiliate in Romania,
the Romanian Journalists Federation (FRJ) MediaSind, asked the Adevarul Press Trust management to
observe national and international labour legislation in force in the
country, as well as the existing collective labour agreement.
After MediaSind complained to the country's Labour Inspection
Authority, the Authority discovered that the
company ignores provisions of the collective labour agreement.
At the same time the Parity Commission in the News Media (composed
of MediaSind, the Romanian Press Employers' Association ROMEDIA and the
National Union of Romanian Employers) revealed that Adevarul is
in breach of the country's labour laws. The Commission called on the
company to abide by the law.
In
response, Adevarul unilaterally
terminated copyright agreements covering six journalists in
membership of the union and then fired. The company's managing
director Razvan Corneteanu then launched public attacks
on the unions and the employers'
organisations. MediaSind allege that some Adevarul managers also attacked trade union
members employed in other media houses, including
the AGERPRES National News Agency.
"Some
managements are opening themselves up to a new era of industrial
relations," said White. "But some are still stuck in the past and are
unable to adapt to the changing media scene, when co-operation and mutual
respect in the workplace are vital to finding ways to resolve the media
crisis."
The
EFJ says it will support FRJ MediaSind, which plans to file
an official complaint against Adevarul Press Trust at the National
Council for Discrimination, the Labour Inspection Authority and the Parity
Commission in the News Media.
"In
the end the best solution would be to resolve these problems through
face-to-face negotiations that respect labour rights," said White,
"But the company appears unwilling to take this step."
For more information contact the EFJ
at +32 2 235 2215
The EFJ represents over 250,000
journalists in over 30 European countries
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