RESOLUTION

GLOBALISATION AND CHALLENGES TO JOURNALISTS AND THEIR UNIONS

The 23rd IFJ World Congress meeting in Recife, May 3-7, 1998

noting that savage cuts in salaries and jobs among journalists and media staff have followed the foreign currency and financial crisis in some countries of Asia, and, in particular,

deploring the pattern of mismanagement in Korea which has cost more than 3,000 journalists and media workers their jobs in the last five months,

further recognising that deregulation and liberalisation of the media market is putting unacceptable pressure on social, professional and employment rights of journalists and media workers throughout the region

resolves:

that the IFJ should actively promote solidarity among trade unions within the industry and with relevant sections of civil society in support of common demands to provide protection of social and cultural values and institutions in the process of globalisation;

that the IFJ should develop a programme of assistance and solidarity to strengthen the capacity of unions to organise within media. Such a package must include:

· analysis of current conditions and advice to unions in developing medium and long term plans to focus on organisation, including setting priorities for organisation and growth,

· a training package to help develop organising skills among officers and activists,

· development of training-if-trainers programmes to further strengthen the work of officers and activists,

· assistance in developing efficient union administration.

That the IFJ urgently examine ways to fund this package including external sources, internal sources and direct bilateral links between unions.