Trade unions leading ways to a fairer recovery

A delegation of 30 EFJ members has joined over 80 trade union delegates from Europe to conclude the final conference of a 2.5 years project “Trade Union for A Fair Recovery project” held in Brussels, co-organised by the European Trade Union Confederation and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). Maja Sever, EFJ President together with Tea Jarc, ETUC Confederal Secretary, and Joost Korte, Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission kicked off the conference by congratulating the delegates leading the ways to support journalists and millions workers towards a fairer recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic. Jarc,…

Safety of journalists: Media employers need to fulfill their duty of care

Media employers have to do more to fulfil their duty of care for journalists’ safety, especially freelance and female journalists who are more vulnerable, concluded in a safety workshop held by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ) in the Hilversum Media Park on 4 and 5 July.  The workshop, attended by more than 40 EFJ members, legal experts, journalists and media representatives, highlighted the increasing dangers to journalists, both physical and online, with little awareness from media employers of these threats and a flagrant lack of resources to ensure their safety. According to…

Journalists organisations launch projects to address challenges during pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has a great impact on journalists and journalists’ organisations across Europe. The working conditions of journalists has been greatly affected. The pandemic has underlined the importance of journalists’ unions and associations in supporting journalists in this challenging time. More than ever, stronger unions are essential to protect the rights of journalists and their working conditions. Together with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched its funding scheme, co-funded by the European Commission, to support its members to continue and develop their core union activities to support the work of journalists.…

World Decent Work Day: Better conditions for journalists working from home

On the occasion of the World Decent Work Day on 7 October, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched a report “Journalists working from home? a labour rights perspective for a hybrid future“ authored by Marc Gruber, showing the impact of the pandemic on the working conditions of journalists and the trend of the hybrid working model is becoming the norm. The report shows that while the working from home policies implemented by media companies are far from perfect, most journalists would still want to work from home but in a hybrid working model which allows them to work…

Call for proposals – Covid fund for journalists’ unions & associations

This call for proposals is launched in the context of an EU-funded Project “TRADE UNIONS FOR A FAIR RECOVERY: Strengthening the role of trade unions in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis”. For more information and the application processes of the above call, please download the following documents. Description of the call for proposals Lump-sum calculation reference Application form Annex 1 Estimated budget  Annex 2 Profit & loss account Annex 3 Declaration of Honour Annex 4 Statement of exclusion The deadline for application is 29 October 2021. Please make sure that you have completed all the required documents in…

Register for our free training for journalists to enhance their safety

ABOUT THE COURSE  The safety of journalists has become ever more important in recent years with an increasing number of journalists facing threats, harassment and injuries in relation to their daily work. While some threats require a broader political and cultural change among multi-stakeholders, others can be mitigated by individuals and organisational level by journalists and media organisations. With this in mind, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) has developed this course to address individual journalists with the aims to enhance their personal capacities in making aware of operational media associated…

WPFD: Safety4Journalists Survey – Have your say!

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched a European survey on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day, as part of a wider campaign to push for a safer and healthier working environment for journalists. “The safety of journalists has been in the spotlight in recent years as a record attacks on journalists are being made, sometimes even resulting in deaths,” says Ricardo Gutiérrez, EFJ General Secretary. “The well-being and safety of journalists has long been neglected in the pursue of 24-hour speedy news. It is time to fulfil our duty of care for journalists’ both physical and mental health.”…

International Women’s Day: More support for female journalists as Covid sets back gender equality 

On 8 March International Women’s Day, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls for more vigorous actions to be made by governments and employers’ organisations to improve gender equality as the Covid crisis has deepened gender inequality.  Members of the EFJ experts groups on labour rights and freelances have looked at the working conditions of journalists during this period and noticed that working-from-home and lockdown policy has had a much greater impact on female journalists.  In Germany, according to a study from the Hans-Böckler Stiftung, women spend 1.7 hours more on work concerning family duties, since men tend to work…

Online Freelance Seminar: Equal Treatment for All

Agenda   22 October 2020   9:00 – 9:30: Introduction & welcoming Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, EFJ President Renate Schroeder, EFJ Director Pablo Aiquel, co-chair of EFJ Freelance Expert Group Short introduction of all participants 9:30 – 10:30 Impact of Covid-19 on freelancers This panel will discuss the economic and psychological impact on freelance journalists. What actions have been taken by journalists’ unions to support them? Renske Heddema, President, Journalists’ Association of Netherlands (NVJ) Charlotte Michils, Deputy General Secretary, Professional Journalists’ Association of Belgium, Flemish-speaking (VVJ) Pablo Aiquel, Co-chair of EFJ Freelance Expert Group, (SNJ-CGT) Chair: Oddrun Midtbo, Co-chair of EFJ…

Ukraine: Investigative journalists face arson attack and surveillance

A group of Ukrainian investigative journalists is being subjected to a campaign of harassment and intimidation, including surveillance and arson attacks. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ), join their Ukrainian affiliate, the National Union of Journalists in Ukraine (NUJU), in urging the authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the intimidation and attacks aimed at muzzling their investigations. The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) also joined the call backing the journalists. The Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty team’s car was set on fire during the night of Monday 17 August. Police found an explosive substance on the wreck of…

New handbook on Trade Union Organising in the Media, Arts and Entertainment Sector

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with the four European trade union federations in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector, namely: the International Federation of Actors (FIA); the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), UNI Europa – Media, Entertainment & Arts (EURO-MEI), has today launched a handbook on Trade Union Organising. The handbook is the outcome of a joint project, entitled “Reaching the Full Potential of Social Dialogue for Atypical Workers” that addressed the challenge of union representation of workers in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector, who are freelance, self-employed or otherwise atypical workers. It contains good practices on…

Fresh attacks worsen climate of hostility against journalists covering protests across Europe

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners have raised further concerns about continued violence against journalists covering protests and demonstrations across European Union (EU) Member States and Candidates in 2020. The group calls for increased protection, police training and oversight, as well as broader respect for media freedom. In the first six months of the year, MFRR partners have documented over 31 separate cases of attacks and media freedom violations against at least 41 different journalists and media workers reporting from protests and demonstrations in 11 EU Member States and Candidate Countries. The figures, documented…

Workers’ Day: EFJ calls for more support and solidarity for journalists during COVID-19 pandemic

“1 May 2020 will be another International Workers’ Day that many journalists will spend working. But this time, many journalists will do so without knowing if their pay will be 30% or 50% lower or if they will be out of work next month,” said Andrea Roth, Chair of the Labour Rights Expert Group of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the “lockdown” measures, many journalists, particularly freelance journalists, have lost their incomes because of salary cuts, delayed payment or no assignments. This happens at a time when journalists are most needed to inform…

Maltese journalists threatened and harassed while covering protests

The European Federation of journalists (EFJ) has backed its member, the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM), in condemning the latest attacks on Maltese journalists covering public events. #Malta: Journalists threatened, harassed during course of their duties – The Malta Independent https://t.co/m9efR8l7lC — Ricardo Gutiérrez (@Molenews1) December 3, 2019 In a statement published by the IGM, it has denounced the violence against journalists. It IGM said: “We appreciate the work of the police who stopped the incident from escalating in Valletta, where a journalist was attacked by a government security officer. “However, it is unacceptable that journalists were attacked and being prevented…

International organisations condemn further degradation of press freedom in Malta

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with seven other international organisations including ARTICLE 19, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Index on Censorship, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Scottish PEN condemns the further degradation of press freedom in Malta and the continued intimidation of journalists. The statement We, the undersigned organisations, condemn the actions taken by Maltese authorities to restrict press coverage and public scrutiny of the ongoing investigation into the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. We call on Maltese authorities to uphold their international obligations to…

Launch of the Pilot project ‘Media Councils in the Digital Age’

When journalists are playing a public watchdog role, who is making sure that journalists and media organisations adhere to their standards and ethics? With the digital transformation in the media and the widespread of disinformation, media self-regulatory framework plays an ever-important role in upholding standards in journalism while preventing state intervention through media regulations to stifle media freedom. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) together with a consortium of six European press councils and two universities journalists have launched a project “Media Councils in the Digital Age” with the aims to support the European models of media self-regulation through a network…