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WEST AFRICAN MEDIA ADOPT AGREEMENT ON WORKING CONDITIONS
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The West African Journalists' Association (WAJA) has adopted a collective agreement on minimum working standards for journalists in the region, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported.
Representatives from WAJA member organizations met in Dakar, Senegal on November 8 and 9. The union representatives drafted the agreement to encourage high professional standards in the region. They hope government ministers validate the standards at an upcoming Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting. The agreement would serve as the basis for similar agreements across the region.
The document includes articles that give journalists the right to create unions and protect their sources. It sets a defined number of working hours for each country, and ensures that salaries are equivalent to public service jobs at the same level. The agreement also requires employers to set aside funds to support professional training for its reporters.
"The employer shall set aside a special fund to enable journalists working for his establishment to undergo further training and keep abreast of new techniques in a dynamic profession," the agreement says. It also states that employers must pay the journalists their full salary while they participate in the training, which can take place either locally or abroad.
IFJ welcomed the agreement, and called on ECOWAS ministers to validate the framework.
"This unique initiative opens a window of opportunity for a major improvement of journalists' working conditions in 16 countries," IFJ projects officer Bertrand Ginet said.
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The West African Journalists' Association (WAJA) has adopted a collective agreement on minimum working standards for journalists in the region, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported.
Representatives from WAJA member organizations met in Dakar, Senegal on November 8 and 9. The union representatives drafted the agreement to encourage high professional standards in the region. They hope government ministers validate the standards at an upcoming Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting. The agreement would serve as the basis for similar agreements across the region.
The document includes articles that give journalists the right to create unions and protect their sources. It sets a defined number of working hours for each country, and ensures that salaries are equivalent to public service jobs at the same level. The agreement also requires employers to set aside funds to support professional training for its reporters.
"The employer shall set aside a special fund to enable journalists working for his establishment to undergo further training and keep abreast of new techniques in a dynamic profession," the agreement says. It also states that employers must pay the journalists their full salary while they participate in the training, which can take place either locally or abroad.
IFJ welcomed the agreement, and called on ECOWAS ministers to validate the framework.
"This unique initiative opens a window of opportunity for a major improvement of journalists' working conditions in 16 countries," IFJ projects officer Bertrand Ginet said.
The agreement is available at http://tinyurl.com/3pfut.
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