According to a recently published trade unions’ report by Unions 21 on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on unions and responses to these new challenges, trade unions are stronger than before the pandemic. Despite the difficult conditions, trade unions improved in membership recruitment, activism, engagement, and collective bargaining outcomes. However, the report warns that unions should not return to the pre-pandemic ‘business as usual’ mode in the future, but rather work toward building on changes made in 2020. The report made a series of recommendations for trade unions moving forward. They include the need to identify effective ways for…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) co-signed, together with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs), the letter to MEPs asking them to reject the amendment being debated on the proposal for an EU directive on the right to disconnect. Here is our joint letter: Brussels, 19 January 2021 Dear MEPs, Workers experience a lot difficulties securing the right to disconnect in reality and the ETUC and the ETUFs urge the Commission to come forth with a proposal for a Directive quickly. Tomorrow, Wednesday the 20th January, amendments to the report on the right…

In these first 15 days of 2021, the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) already recorded five physical attacks against journalists in Turkey. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) together with their affiliate in Turkey, condemn the assaults and call on Turkish authorities to conduct thorough investigations and hold the perpetrators accountable. In a tweet, the Turkish Journalists Union strongly condemned the attacks and denounced the government’s absence of reaction: “Five journalists and media workers have been attacked in 15 days. There are no government convictions and no sanctions by the judiciary. This is intended…

On 16 January, a Russian court ordered the arrest of cameraman Pavel Zelenski in Moscow for “inciting extremism on the internet.” Zelenski is a cameraman at Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), a platform that tries to expose corruption in Russia through media reports. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Russian Journalists and Media Worker’s Union (JMWU) demand his release. According to JMWU, Zelenski was arrested for two tweets he posted in early October, after journalist Irina Slavina set herself on fire in desperation in the city of Nizhny Novgorod. She has clashed with authorities for years over her critical…

Polish Ambassador to Sweden sent a formal letter of complaint to the Swedish online news site Dagens Arena for calling the Polish government “right-wing nationalist”. The European Federation of Journalists joined its affiliate, the Swedish Journalists Union, in condemning the political interference and considered as inappropriate the update request. The text in question is an opinion piece written by Stockholm city council member Magnus Runsten and published on 11 January with the headline “That’s How Democracy Wins“. He wrote: “Just a few months ago, Donald Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Swedish Democrats. An initiative they took together…

N1 Croatia revealed that members of the ruling party (HZD) accused part of the media of conspiring with the opposition to destabilise the government. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its affiliate in Croatia, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA), in condemning new serious attempt to discredit the Croatian media. N1 TV channel reported that HZD top figures claimed, during a private online meeting on 11 January 2021, that certain media and journalists had sided with the opposition and the radical right to criticise the slow and inefficient handling of the crisis by the government after the deadly earthquake in…