With the arrival of COVID-19, many editorial offices have asked their journalists to work from home, with all the difficulties that can bring: long working hours, hazardous internet connections, on-air interruptions, the impression of working continuously and being constantly on call, limited data confidentiality, encroachment of the professional life on the private sphere, and this for an indefinite period of time.
How can we adapt when the very nature of information is to be continuous and we must continue our mission to inform? We need precise rules, carefully negotiated between representative unions and media management covering working and break times, adequate equipment, health and safety and, above all, equal treatment for all.
October 7 will mark the World Day for Decent Work. It is an opportunity to remind all our affiliates of the importance of engaging in national discussions on telework to ensure that the specific situation faced by our profession is not forgotten and that decent working conditions are achieved for all.
Anthony Bellanger
IFJ General Secretary