Today the International Federation of Journalists, meeting at its Congress in Moscow, strongly condemned the harassment of journalists defending trade union rights in Serbian paper Narodne Novine, accusing the management of cynical union busting.
On 28 May, 5 journalists of Serbian newspaper Narodne Novine were fired, and more of them face threats of being laid off. This follows what journalists say has been harassment of journalists trying to defend trade union rights and to improve working conditions.
Firing journalists because they want to defend union rights is simply illegal by all national and international rules, said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. It amounts to a cynical attempt at union busting and the IFJ Congress in Moscow expresses its solidarity with Serbian colleagues.
Two journalists were demoted last month in the same newspaper for the same reasons and the IFJ has already sent a protest letter to the management.
The anti-union campaign at Narodne Novine has seen membership of the local chapel of the Journalists Union of Serbia cut from 39 to 3.
The survival of a union defending journalists rights is now at stake, said White.
For more information contact the IFJ at 7 916 582 2599
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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