EFJ Condemns "Rogue" Romanian Media Company

The European Federation of Journalists today condemned a "rogue" media management in Romania over anti-union policies and victimisation of journalists which have undermined efforts to create a new culture of industrial relations in Romanian media. The EFJ says the actions of the Adevarul media group in failing to meet its legal responsibilities over workers rights is a shameful betrayal of efforts to improve social dialogue and co-operation between unions and media in Romania.

"We firmly condemn the actions of this company which reflect an anti-union culture that prevails in much of Romanian media," said EFJ General Secretary Aidan White. "It is absolutely reprehensible to act against journalists and other workers when they ask for no more than their basic rights under labour law. The EFJ says that media managements must open the door to social dialogue and build a new culture based upon respect for the rights of all media staff.

The dispute arose when the EFJ affiliate in Romania, the Romanian Journalists Federation (FRJ) MediaSind, asked the Adevarul Press Trust management to observe national and international labour legislation in force in the country, as well as the existing collective labour agreement. After MediaSind complained to the country's Labour Inspection Authority, the Authority discovered that the company ignores provisions of the collective labour agreement. At the same time the Parity Commission in the News Media (composed of MediaSind, the Romanian Press Employers' Association ROMEDIA and the National Union of Romanian Employers) revealed that Adevarul is in breach of the country's labour laws. The Commission called on the company to abide by the law.

In response, Adevarul unilaterally terminated copyright agreements covering six journalists in membership of the union and then fired.  The company's managing director Razvan Corneteanu then launched public attacks on the unions and the employers' organisations. MediaSind allege that some Adevarul managers also attacked trade union members employed in other media houses, including the AGERPRES National News Agency.

"Some managements are opening themselves up to a new era of industrial relations," said White. "But some are still stuck in the past and are unable to adapt to the changing media scene, when co-operation and mutual respect in the workplace are vital to finding ways to resolve the media crisis."

The EFJ says it will support FRJ MediaSind, which plans to file an official complaint against Adevarul Press Trust at the National Council for Discrimination, the Labour Inspection Authority and the Parity Commission in the News Media. 

"In the end the best solution would be to resolve these problems through face-to-face negotiations that respect labour rights," said White, "But the company appears unwilling to take this step."

For more information contact the EFJ at   +32 2 235 2215
The EFJ represents over 250,000 journalists in over 30 European countries