On the December 10, the Human Rights Day, Italian journalists have once again organised a protest against the attacks of some members of the government. They gathered to defend the dignity of Journalists’ work and the values contained in Article 21 of the Italian Constitution (guaranteeing free speech). The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) keeps on supporting its Italian affiliate, Federazione Nazionale della Stampa Italiana (Fnsi), in the fight against the continuous attempts to limit journalists’ work in the country. On the same day, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio (5 Star Movement) convened FNSI and the National Order of Journalists (Cnog)…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), along with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and other European trade union organisations, submitted on 6 November its position on the 2nd phase consultation on the revision of the Written Statement Directive (931/55/EC) trying to extend the right for a written contract and social protection to self-employed workers. The EFJ, along with the ETUC, request in their response that Member States should ensure that all workers (including self-employed workers) have the right to fair remuneration in accordance with national law, collective agreements or practice at the appropriate level in conformity with national industrial…

Today is the World Day for Decent Work! A new survey from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) shows that unions have helped winning higher pay, saving jobs and securing new collective agreements over the past twelve months. The survey of 60 IFJ affiliates from every continent – released to coincide with World Day for Decent Work – shows that attacks on collective bargaining, low pay and a lack of rights for freelances are threatening to further undermine working conditions for journalists across the globe. A significant majority of unions surveyed highlighted a lack of collective bargaining, a lack of…

Multitasking in a 24-hour rush, selling articles for five or ten euros and the increase of burnouts is a reality for too many journalists nowadays. This decline in working conditions is also the main topic of the latest issue of HesaMag, titled “Journalism, an increasingly precarious profession”. The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) organised yesterday (26/07/2017) a debate on the subject and presented the magazine, which was carried out in collaboration with the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). The debate was moderated by Willy De Backer, Head of Communication and Publications at the ETUI. #HesaMag event with @renatemargot @AntonisRepanas @WillyDebacker…

The Slovenian government has recently introduced two draft labour laws on employment and labour inspection. The main changes concern giving the labour inspectors more authority to act, especially when the employer fails to pay the salary of employees, accelerate the process whereby the unemployed take up employment again and make employment contract termination more flexible. “Precarious conditions are becoming more and more common, not just in Slovenia, but also in Europe,” said Anja Kopač Mrak, the Slovenian minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities at the voting session of the draft labour laws at the beginning of this…

The number of independent workers is growing rapidly within the European labour market and behind what has become the standard label for self-employed professionals lies a wide range of different work scenarios. Who are the freelancers of Europe, how do they live and work in the different countries of the EU, what are their needs, expectations and how do they deal with the uncertain, precarious nature of freelance work? i-WIRE is the first Europe-wide survey of freelancers that will try to answer some of those questions. The EFJ encourages its affiliates and freelancers of Europe to fill out the questionnaire.…