The publishing and media industry is undergoing radical change. Circulation and revenues are falling almost as fast as wages, and book turnaround times are getting shorter. Editorial offices are getting smaller and smaller, publishers are cutting back on staff and permanent positions are becoming a rarity. Not only the quality suffers, but first and foremost the employees. We have less and less planning security, hardly any social security and a bad negotiating position towards our contractors. In the course of digitalisation, many media companies come under pressure. The already high proportion of freelancers continues to increase and this is undermining collective ties and standards: More and more media workers have to make a living as isolated day labourers.
We have an idea…
Freelance work is a particular challenge for trade unions. The isolation at the “virtual workplaces” makes collective processes more difficult. We need a trade union approach that brings freelancers and permanent employees together. We need to develop methods to protect lawless media workers and strengthen the position of all of us. We can only improve our working conditions and wages with an inter-professional syndicate of the media industry, in which journalists, photographers, translators, illustrators, technicians, office or cleaning staff, sales staff, etc. organise themselves together.
Who can feel addressed?
We address all employees and freelancers in the media sector. This includes the press and publishing sector, including its distribution structures, broadcasting, web publications and social media, as well as advertising and PR. If you work in or for this industry, you’ve come to the right place.