Greek media on strike today

Greek media will be on strike from 6:00 am on Thursday until 6:00 am on Friday, following the call for a general strike scheduled by the country’s public and private sector unions, including the Panhellenic Federation of Journalists’ Unions (an EFJ affiliate), on Thursday 12 November. The strike for journalists covers all print media (newspapers and magazines), public broadcaster ERT and all private TV, radio and internet media, Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Secretariat General of Information and Communication and all Press Offices. The Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN-ESIEA), a member of the IFJ/EFJ, has issued the following press release calling on union members to join the all-media 24 hours strike on Thursday: “The strike to be held tomorrow is a first warning against policies and practices that violate rights and eradicate liberties delivering a serious blow to society as well as news information. For this particular reason this is the starting point of the mobilizations to follow, in order to protect social security’s institutional function.” “Journalists (whether workers, unpaid, unemployed or pensioners) seek along with entire society the right to work, social security, our Funds resources, lifelong benefits and our dignity.” “Journalists’ Supplementary Social Insurance and Healthcare Fund (EDOEAP) as well as Media Personnel Social Insurance Fund (ETAP-MME) and Journalists’ Unions are non-negotiable since they guarantee freedom of expression, collective work agreements and public opinion’s right to reliable news information.” “Moreover on the day of the strike Thursday 12 November, all newspapers will circulate as usual. On this very day there will be no broadcasts of news bulletins and news programmes.”