At the workshop held in Mavrovo from 11 to 13 April, around twenty journalists and media workers from several editorial offices debated about the action plan which is to be implemented by the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers based on the findings contained in the “White Book”. The publication which was released in March touches on several key topics which journalists find problematic, such as censure, self-censure, the problems of the correspondents and the free-lancers, wrongful dismissals, fixed term contracts, etc.
Problem | Address | How / Means |
Fixed-Term Employment Contracts | Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP)ParliamentGovernment | – Lobbying– Public action– Elaboration of the problem in the public (fixed term) |
Free-Lance Work | MLSP | – Action, voluntary regulation and pressure.– Trade union action, to explain to people why it is bad, etc. |
Salary | Employers, associations of employers in the branch | – Focus groups for testing the minimum salary method and addressing those who violate market rules.– Conducting a research to determine the minimum salary in the sector. |
Working Hours | Employers | – Collective agreements at employers` level and status change by lobbying- flexible working hours.– Analysis of the working hours. |
Trade Union Discrimination | ParliamentGovernmentEmployers | – International pressure– Pressure on the employers– Pressure on the institutions |
Censure / Self-censureMobbing | JournalistsEmployersParties
Institutions |
– Explaining and documenting censure/Archiving– Keeping personal journals for proving mobbing |
Participation in the Management Decisions | Contained in the Law on Employment Relations | – Lobbying– Labor Inspectorate and Courts |
Media Ownership Transparency | ||
Strike | Amendments to laws | – Government– Parliament– Jointly with other trade unions |