Growing Pressure of Financial Crisis on the Operation of Journalist

Publié: 12 Février 2009
Google translate: 
International Federation of Journalist [IFJ] organized a workshop on “Facing Challenge: Organizing in the Financial Crisis”. The workshop was organized with a view to gain a better regional and sub-regional perspective on the financial crisis and to develop strategies to face challenges to protect trade union rights of journalist and free media. IFJ Asia-Pacific invited UNI Apro for the workshop and to the regional meeting to share UNI responses to the global financial crisis with them. IFJ regional meeting and the workshop was held on 12-13 February 2009, in Hong Kong.

Jayasri Priyalal, Director- UNI Apro Finance represented UNI Apro and made a presentation on the theme “Financial Crisis: impacts on jobs workers and trade unions”. Driving and restraining forces of the current financial crisis, causes and effects on workers and trade unions were highlighted in the presentation emphasizing on the need for joint campaigns by GUF’s to organize members in to trade unions. UNI Finance global union’s responses and recommendation to reform the financial system for a responsible and sustainable finance industry were also shared with the journalist trade union leaders at the workshop.

Twenty two IFJ affiliates representing journalists from East-Asia, South Asia and South Asia identified distinct sub-regional trends arising from the financial crisis and its effects on job security and sustainability of independent media. Workshop participants discussed opportunities for union-building during the financial crisis and devised strategies to expand union membership to include online and freelance journalist.

Christopher Warren, Federal Secretary of Media Alliance made a presentation on “The future of journalism in a changing media & economic environment. Lee Cheuk-yan, Legislative Councilor HKCTU briefed the participants about the Hong Kong experiences on labor and industrial organizing amid financial crisis in the Special Administrative Region. Michael Siu, Director UNI DOC in Hong Kong also attended the workshop representing UNI Asia & Pacific.