New agreement for journalists faces up to changing profession

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A new national collective agreement for Italian journalists, signed in April 2001, introduces new rules on fixed-term employment and freelance journalists, and for the first time covers online journalism. Negotiations on the deal were marked by conflict between the Fieg employers' association and the Fnsi trade union, and by heated debate within the latter.

On 11 April 2001, a new national collective agreement for journalists was signed at the Ministry of Labour. This ratified an agreement reached on 24 February 2001 by the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers (Federazione Italiana Editori Giornali, Fieg), the employers' association for the sector, and the Italian National Press Federation (Federazione Nazionale della Stampa Italiana, Fnsi), the journalists' trade union.

The collective agreement was signed after highly complex negotiations which lasted for around 18 months and were marked by a series of conflicts (strikes totaling 10 days were called in newspapers, 12 in periodicals and eight in radio and television). Mediation by the Ministry of Labour was also required.

The background to the agreement is that the publishing industry and journalism profession are undergoing profound change in Italy. Exercise of the profession of journalist in Italy is regulated by a law enacted in 1963 (no. 69) which provides for mandatory enrolment with the Order of Journalists (Ordine dei giornalisti) after an entrance examination and a trial period lasting at least 18 months. The law envisages two categories of journalists: professionals, ie those who work full time as journalists; and "stringers" and part-time correspondents who have other activities besides journalism.

The large-scale presence in Italy of local radio and television stations has increased the number of journalists in the country, and entry to the profession now increasingly takes place through unconventional routes. Moreover, publishing is a sector in which outsourcing is widespread and ,as regards journalism, much use is made of freelance labour (self-employed professionals or collaborators "coordinated" by the employer - IT0011273F) and of agency services.

Added to this is the impact of new information technologies on the publishing industry. In March 2001, the Italian government approved a new law on the publishing industry which defines its products as not just those issued on paper but also via multimedia means (electronic, radiophonic and televisual).

Main features of the agreement

The new agreement for journalists introduces a number of innovations, especially in its "normative" (ie non-pay) part. These novelties concern two areas in particular: flexibility and online journalism.

As regards flexibility, the agreement envisages temporary agency work for journalists for the first time. Moreover, changes have been made to the regulations on fixed-term contracts, which to date have been permitted only in certain cases - the hiring of unemployed or temporarily redundant journalists, during the start-up phase of new publishing ventures, or the substitution of journalists on holiday or on paid leave. The new agreement extends the use of such contracts to the start-up phase of multimedia publishing initiatives, and in order to cope with unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, editors and sub-editors may also be hired on fixed-term contracts. The maximum duration of fixed-term contracts has been extended from 12 to 24 months, while the maximum percentage of fixed-term contracts in a company's workforce has been raised to 20%.

The more flexible use of journalists is made possible by new rules on working for several publications at once. Previously, this was possible only for journalists writing for magazines, not newspapers (unless there was a specific company agreement on the matter). Now, although the letter of appointment must state the publication for which the journalist will work, on the request of the editor the journalist may be used on other newspapers or periodicals belonging to the company or group, whether printed or online.

For the first time, the agreement covers online journalists, or more precisely newly-hired ones (those already in post, even if they are assigned to online newspapers, are covered by the former collective agreement). The agreement is experimental in nature and therefore applies for the next two years. The agreement provides for only two job rankings for online journalists: editor and service chief. As in the case of print journalism, working time is fixed at 36 hours per week, but it can be distributed across the week according to editorial needs. Compared with print journalists, those working online receive lower pay premia for working at weekends or on public holidays (30% compared to 55%). Journalists hired to work on an online newspaper may not be used for printed newspapers or magazines unless they receive the same contractual treatment as for those normally working in printed media. As regards trade union and employee representation rights for online journalists, the agreement provides for the creation of a three-member "editorial committee" (in editorial offices with more than nine journalists) or of an "editorial trustee" in smaller ones.

The agreement also introduces rules on freelance journalists. For those employed as temporary "coordinated" collaborators (IT0011273F), the employment relationship must be formalised by a letter which states the start date of the collaboration, its duration, the characteristics of the work, the amount of remuneration, and the method of payment.

Finally, the agreement introduces a number of novelties as regards industrial relations. It institutes a joint committee (with three members, one nominated by Fieg, one by Fnsi and one jointly) for the conciliation of labour disputes. The aim is to achieve the more rapid settlement of disputes without recourse to legal action.

Commentary

The new agreement for Italian journalists is an instrument to regulate a profession which, as mentioned above, is undergoing great change. This explains why the talks on its renewal were marked not only by clashes between Fieg and Fnsi, but also by heated debate within the union. Consequently, after the agreement was signed in February 2001, doubts were expressed as to its acceptance by the editorial committees (the journalists' representative bodies). However, following consultation with journalists, the national conference of editorial committees approved the agreement by a large majority.

The issues most discussed in talks between the parties and within the union were flexibility and work for online newspapers. A request for greater deregulation advanced by Fieg was countered by Fnis's demand that journalists should be afforded greater protection. Among journalists themselves, the debate centred on the provisions agreed on fixed-term contracts, online work, freelance journalism and the introduction of temporary agency work, which some maintained would make the profession precarious. This stance was criticised by Paolo Serventi Longhi, the secretary of Fnsi, who argued that the union should respond to change by seeking to introduce new rules, not by entrenching itself in defence of the status quo. (Marco Trentini – Ires Lombardia)