Journalists and Fair Compensation: FNSI Opposes the Senate’s Block on the New Law

A tough and rightful stance from the FNSI (National Federation of the Press) followed the press conference held by the Labour Commission in the Chamber of Deputies to call for a swift completion of the process of the “Equo Compenso” law. As a reminder, the law received approval from the Chamber in recent months but is still struggling to complete the same process in the Senate.

The general secretary of FNSI, Franco Siddi, and the President, Roberto Natale, reiterated how essential it is to guarantee freelance and precarious journalists (also known as self-employed journalists) a decent wage based on fair compensation criteria.

Here, in detail, is the press release issued by the National Federation of the Press:

“It is disturbing that various types of ‘interference’, especially by Fieg, are blocking in the Senate, with the contradictory and unacceptable behavior of the Government, the bill on fair compensation for journalistic work, already unanimously approved by the Chamber in legislative session. And if in Fieg ideological obstinacy prevails even against the voluntary enrollment of freelancers in Supplemental Pension Funds, consequences and sanctions will be inevitable.
This was stated this morning by the secretary and president of Fnsi, speaking at a press conference in the Chamber promoted by the president of the Labour Commission, Hon. Silvano Moffa, together with deputies Enzo Carra (rapporteur of the measure), Giuseppe Giulietti, Giampiero Cannella, and senator Vincenzo Vita, to urge the conclusion of the process in the Senate.
Siddi and Natale reiterated how urgent it is to ensure that freelance and precarious journalists—too often forced into harsh individual contracts and poverty wages—receive decent working guarantees according to criteria of wage justice, a condition that also frees them from unfair pressures and fears. 62% of the 27,000 freelance journalists currently earn less than 5,000 euros a year, also because of the reckless policies of publishers who fuel the illusion of regular access to the profession only to systematically deny it.
“This way,” explained the secretary and president of Fnsi, “we cannot go on. The government cannot go to Brussels to sell a supposed policy of fighting precarity and for youth employment and then return to Italy and do exactly the opposite, even blocking a free and unified parliamentary initiative for fair compensation for freelance journalists. The responsibility of Fieg is no less serious and is at risk of undermining fundamental social relations, which are essential for managing current changes and criticalities. Having transparent relationships based on fair pay for freelancers should be a value also for publishing companies and for the fairness of genuine free competition. Instead, large parts of Fieg are mounting a brutal ideological opposition to this vision and are now even attempting by every means to prevent freelancers from enrolling in the Supplemental Fund and making voluntary contributions to build up at least a minimal personal pension. It is a scandalous choice which, if pursued, can only have serious consequences for all relations among social parties. And the category’s pension fund will in no way be the ATM for publishers who wish to act like scavengers.”.