The International Federation of Journalists today accused Spanish television company Antenna 3 of “intransigence and callous disregard for workers’ rights” over its sacking of close to 400 media staff.
“This company is showing the hard face of a media management that appears to prefer confrontation to sound industrial relations,” said Aidan White, General Secretary of the IFJ and the European Federation of Journalists, the IFJ regional organisation. The IFJ and EFJ have been campaigning for better working conditions for journalists throughout the European union.
The dispute has already brought supporting solidarity actions from around the world. Two weeks ago, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance union, representing media workers in Australia joined the Austrian Trade Union of Journalists, the Editors’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH) and the National Union of Journalists in UK and Ireland in a condemnation of the “arbitrary and unjustified” decision by the management to suddenly dismiss 390 workers.
Today, the situation escalated with the management defiantly opposing union proposals for a settlement. The company refused to reach an agreement with the unions and moved ahead with its drastic reform programme and then aggravated the situation further by bringing in the police to remove the workers from the station premises.
“Over the past four years Antena 3 TV has generated over Euro 474 million euros. It does not have any economic justification for its actions,” said White. “The management needs to respect international standards and move away from of a policy of intransigence and callous disregard for workers’ rights.”
The IFJ is calling on the company to return to the negotiation table. “Meanwhile, we will do everything we can to support our Spanish colleagues in their fight to save jobs,” said White. The IFJ and EFJ have three member organizations in Spain.
See also previous IFJ Protests about Antena 3 TV
Further information: + 32 2 235 22 00
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries
