Solidarity with AFP staff in Portugal

The SUD and FO trade unions at AFP are republishing on Aurore a statement recently released by the Portugese Journalist Union.

The right to labor organization is a right that AFP should respect in each and every country.

More generally, AFP should respect the rights of all its employees, irrespective of whether they have HQ or local contracts.

Paris, April 15, 2020
The SUD and FO trade unions at AFP

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source : https://jornalistas.eu/sindicato-dos-jornalistas-condena-assedio-laboral-na-agencia-france-presse/

Portuguese journalists’ union condemns labour bullying in Agence France-Presse

The Portuguese journalists’ union Sindicato dos Jornalistas/SJ condemns the recurrent practices of workplace harassment and trade unionists bullying by Agence France-Presse.

For the second time in one year, AFP’s bureau in Lisbon is beset by a case of harassment and persecution of its trade union journalists.

In both cases, AFP’s management has not respected the due process labour rights of its employees as it tried to sideline the trade union representation of journalists in the bureau.

The first case resulted in an unfair dismissal ruling against AFP for failing to respect the proper procedures and for the baselessness of its accusations against the employee.

AFP appears not to have learned its lesson. It is now in the process of firing the new union representative in the bureau after initially serving him a suspension.

In both cases, AFP has not respected due process rights and the allegations against one and other are both baseless and ludicrous.

Meanwhile, we have also discovered that AFP applies different payment conditions for French and non-French journalists, which we consider to be labour discrimination. In the case of subsequent rights to their production, we believe AFP is violating Portuguese law.

A disturbing pattern is emerging: the non-respect of the rights of local staff and local laws.

AFP, which receives considerable French government funding, has been tasked with upholding and diffusing French and European values. On respecting fundamental and labour rights, it falls considerably short.

This pattern seriously undermines the image of credibility and reputation of one of the biggest news agencies in the world.

Therefore, the Portuguese journalists’ union has decided to take the case to the European Federation of Journalists and the Unions there represented.

(April 7, 2020)