Darko Duridanski, SSNM Program Manager explains.
SSNM has recruited more than 20 new young members in recent months. How did you go about it and how has the Union To Union (UtU) project helped?
The answer is pretty simple. The best results are achieved through face-to-face meetings supported by a range of other activities, in which young journalists are engaged and given an opportunity to speak about their problems freely. Through the Union to Union project, we have been able to organise several meetings with young media workers as well as launch a call for applications to help design a new campaign - “I want fair working conditions” - aimed at raising awareness of labour rights among younger journalists.
To be honest, through other projects, we had held dozens of meetings which young journalists were part of. However, when young journalists are the focus of the activity they have a real sense of belonging to the union.
SSNM has organised meetings, lectures and visited media run by young journalists and media workers. Did journalists know about SSNM before being approached? Do you think that their perception of unions has changed before and after these meetings?
SSNM is a well-known organisation in Macedonia among journalists and media workers. However, some of the meetings showed us that many of them do not know exactly how a trade union operates. These meetings were beneficial for explaining the goals and objectives of SSNM, as well as the benefits of being part of a union. We cannot assess precisely if the perception of unions has changed for all of them but to share a positive example, I would mention our meeting with the first internet and youth radio station in the country, Radio MOF, where some of the young journalists were originally against unionising, having reservations about the activities of SSNM. After the meeting, they became members of SSNM.
Throughout the meetings with young journalists, you said SSNM realised that there was a lack of knowledge about basic labour rights, which are breached in many media. Are workers' rights an area where trade unions could more effectively prove their value for young journalists?
Definitely! That is our main goal, even though I must say that the interest of young media workers in joining the union is much wider and, of course, it depends on the media organisation they work for. For example, those who work in bigger media are more interested in labour rights issues, while those who are in small media, mostly online platforms, look for other benefits in joining.
The Statute of SSNM was changed recently to guarantee the election of a member younger than 35 years old to the Executive Board. What is the aim of this change and how was it received by all members?
The aim of the change of the Statute was through so-called positive discrimination to enable young journalists to have their own representative in the decision-making bodies of SSNM. We thought that it is a way of proving that SSNM is not a closed organisation, where a few people decide about the issues that concern all media workers. Viktorija Mitkova is not only the youngest member of the Executive Board, but also the coordinator of the young media workers’ department. Her duty is to coordinate and to be a link between young media workers and the union. The plan is to have regular meetings of the young journalists’ department, which are intended to inspire and develop future activities and plans.
The president of SSNM described the inclusion of young journalists in the union’s executive bodies as a “need”. Should unions do more to involve young members?
Unions should do as much as possible to involve young members. The main reason for that is that the media industry and landscape is changing very fast, and young people can contribute a lot in helping shape these changes. On the other hand, unions like ours and in countries like Macedonia, we have to focus more on improving the image and the perception of journalists, as the profession has been sliding down in recent years. Unfortunately, it has become unattractive for young people, which is seen by the decreasing number of new students enrolling at the faculties of journalism.
Freelance journalists were also approached within the scope of the project. What are the main difficulties that SSNM found to engage freelance journalists in unions?
The main difficulty concerning freelancers is that they do not see any benefit in being members of SSNM. They do not have employers and therefore do not see what SSNM can do for them. This, of course, is not the case. However, the main hardship is that the status of the freelancers, not only in the media sector, is not legally framed in Macedonia. That is why our work concerning freelancers is to try to find a solution for their legal status and advocate for changes of the law which would help protect and promote their rights.
Based on the SSNM’s experience, what would you advise unions to do to engage young journalists in their organisations?
In my opinion, unions should find a system of continuous engagement with young journalists, through activities that will bring them together and provide them with a sense of belonging. Of course, face to face meetings work well, but also training sessions for improving skills, workshops, guerilla actions…etc Basically, whatever can prove to young journalists that the organisation is there for them.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) worked with the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) of Macedonia in the project "Digital Organising - CEE" from 2018 to 2022, in partnership with Union to Union and the Swedish Union of Journalists. The common work has focused on helping the union address the challenges and seize the opportunities digitalisation presents, defend the rights of media workers and, in particular, engage younger journalists and help the union become more effective in representing its growing membership.