7 Media workers should not be targets


The importance of trade union support for public service broadcasting was debated at the Biennial Delegate Conference of ICTU in Belfast recently. The IEC tabled an amendment to a motion


tabled by UNITE which encouraged unions and their members “to create a progressive debate about a fairer society through democratically controlled new media forums and discussions”. The motion claimed that “the effective ownership and control of mainstream media by a neoliberal group” was damaging working people. Acting General Secretary Séamus Dooley


secured IEC agreement to an amendment on the basis that the UNITE motion, while accusing the media of attacking public services, ignored the principle of public service broadcasting and also sought to attribute a wide variety of economic ills to


the media and, by implication, to trade union members. Far too often trade unions attack media workers, Séamus told the Conference, explaining that the amendment was intended to remind col leagues that journalists, photographers, researchers and producers were union members who were entitled to the same respect as other workers. “Unions have every right to criticise RTÉ


but too often we have experienced attacks on public service broadcasting and unthinking calls for boycotts of the licence fee, with no regard for the implications for employment. “In the words of Raymond Williams,


journalists should be ‘the arrow and not the target’,” he added. The motion was passed.


Irish Executive Cathaoirleach, Gerry Carson attended the ICTU conference in Belfast along with colleagues, Mary Curtin and Bernie Ní Fhlatharta. Copyright © Kevin Cooper and John Rush Photoline


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