The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its European group, the European
Federation of Journalists (EFJ), have called on Ukraine journalists to learn
from the disintegration of the TVi news room to establish trade union branches
before a crisis occurs.
According to
IFJ affiliate, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU), on Monday
29 April, 30 journalists resigned from TVi following the failure of the new
management to address their concerns following a hostile overnight takeover of
the company.
The resigning
journalists have announced a plan to set up a new media organisation and have
asked for colleagues in the media to provide them with support.
"It is a tragedy that a compromise could not be
reached at TVi for both the new owners and the journalists who have worked so
hard to build the broadcasters reputation," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "While we respect the decision of the
journalists, it is sad that so many of them felt they had no other option than to
resign.
"As World Press Freedom day approaches tomorrow, developments
at the station have shown how important it is for journalists to join a trade
union. If a union had been in place in the TVi building from
the start then this situation could have been avoided. It would have provided a
clear mechanism for dialogue between both parties that could have resolved the
dispute before it escalated out of control."
The latest
development in the situation at TVi follows a strike organised by station staff
which began following an overnight takeover of the station last Tuesday, 23
April. The
situation began when journalists were prevented from entering the station's
building by armed guards when they arrived for work that morning.
Later that same day, the new owner and director called a general meeting with staff where they told journalists they could not comment on the situation in the station's evening news programme. According to IMTUU, it was this siuation that led to the decision to strike.
"We support the attempts of IMTUU to protect journalists' rights, but we also respect the collective decision of TVi journalists to terminate the fighting and move on to professional journalist activities in their new company," said EFJ President Arne Konig.
For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 17
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries