The USIGRai union has criticised political attempts to “turn RAI into a mouthpiece for the government”, which were strongly condemned by the IFJ on 12 April. This is one of the main grievances behind the 24-hour strike that began on 6 May. Other reasons include staff shortages, the unilateral cancellation of a collective agreement, and the cancellation of antifascist Italian author Antonio Scurati’s Rai talk show appearance, to mark the 25 April national holiday, which celebrates Italy’s liberation from fascism.

“We prefer to lose one or more days of pay than to lose our freedom, convinced that the freedom and autonomy of the public service are a value for everyone. And Rai belongs to everyone,” said Usigrai in a video message broadcast on 5 May.

In response, RAI management accused the journalists of striking for ‘ideological and political reasons’ that ‘have nothing to do with workers’ rights’. The FNSI General Secretary Alessandra Costante and the FNSI President, Vittorio Di Trapani, reacted immediately: “This is a very serious act to conceal what is really happening in the public service. (…) Accusing hundreds of colleagues of spreading fake news to damage the company is a very serious act as well as a mass distraction operation to hide what is really happening in the public service media”.

“For years we have been calling for greater independence for public broadcasting in Italy,” said EFJ President Maja Sever.“Instead of following the spirit of the new European Media Freedom Act, which will consolidate the independence of public broadcasters in Europe, the Italian government is engaging in a political capture of RAI, in defiance of the right of Italian citizens to access free, independent and pluralist information”.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We stand in full solidarity with RAI journalists, whose press freedom and ethical principles are being undermined by the Italian government. We remind RAI of its need to respect fundamental journalistic principles as they are stated in the IFJ Global Charter of Ethics for journalists. Your fight is our fight”.

The IFJ, the EFJ and the FNSI stand alongside RAI journalists and media workers and supports USIGRai’s demands which led to the strike.