IFJ Congress 2001: Motions Remitted to the Executive Committee

X. MOTIONS REMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Freedom of the Media and Rights of Journalists
Proposed: Trade Union of Croatian Journalists

The 24th Congress of the IFJ, meeting in Seoul from June 11-16th 2001,

believing that the social rights of journalists need to be more effectively identified in IFJ work,

instructs the Executive Committee to ensure that the words “and the rights of journalists” should be added after the words “freedom of the media” in all the relevant documents, statements or declarations issued by the IFJ.


2. International Policy on Unemployment and Social Inequalities
Proposed: ANP, Peru

The 24th Congress of the IFJ, meeting in Seoul from June 11-16th 2001,

considering that the last information presented by the International Labor Organization (ILO) reveals that around a thousand million people, approximately one third of the active economic population of our planet, don't have a job or receive less than they expect,

noting that of these thousand million people, around150 million try to survive without any employment at all and that an average of 60 million youngsters between 15 and 24 years old that have no possibilities of work.

understanding that the social suffering of workers, counting thousands of journalists, caused by the economic crisis that started in Asia in the late 1990s and has since extended to other regions, especially in Latin America and Africa.

determines that the IFJ Executive Committee should campaign before the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the main industrial countries in the world policies aimed at reducing unemployment and social inequality.

Congress further instructs the Executive Committee to support urgently the creation of an Economic and Labor Studies Office, for the permanent study of labor problems, the promotion of alternative forms of employment, support for alternative ownership schemes for media, including ownership by journalists and media staff.

Congress urges the Executive Committee to establish a fund with the support of international organizations, governments of industrialized countries and journalists’ organizations to sustain the establishment and working of the Economic and Labor Studies Office to exist.


3. IFJ Executive Working Rules
Proposed: NUJ Great Britain and Ireland


The 24th IFJ Congress meeting in Seoul on June 11th to June 15th, 2001

Noting that Clause 26, Section VIII, of the Constitution requests that the Executive Committee " shall establish its own working rules and procedures within the framework of the Constitution",

Noting the events at the Sydney Executive Committee where the Treasurer resigned from the EC, then withdrew his resignation later on during the meeting,

Aware of the difficulties in conducting the business of the EC in the absence of working rules,

Instructs the incoming Executive Committee to adopt as a matter of urgency standing orders to regulate its meetings.


4. Deputy General Secretary
Proposed: NUJ Great Britain and Ireland


The 24th IFJ Congress meeting in Seoul on June 11th to June 15th, 2001

expresses its concern that the IFJ has no deputy to the General Secretary. Congress recalls that this position was vacated with the creation of the post of Director of the IFJ Projects Division, and while it appreciates this important work for the IFJ, it notes that in the absence of the General Secretary there is no formal head of the organisation.

Congress instructs the Executive to recruit and appoint a Deputy General Secretary.

Congress recommends, in view of the inevitable preponderance of European staff in the IFJ office, that the person appointed should not be of Western European origin.