Intense and active participation, yesterday, 7 May, at the info-point of the Pro Loco of Caltanissetta, for the meeting with the journalists from Nisse held by the general secretary of the National Federation of the Italian Press, Alessandra Costante, supported by Tommaso Daquanno, director of the Fnsi, by Roberto Ginex, national councilor of the Fnsi, by Sergio Magazzù, provincial secretary of Assostampa Messina and by Tiziana Tavella, president of the regional council of Assostampa Sicily and national coordinator of the national self-employment commission of the Fnsi.
Organized by Pier Paolo Olivo, provincial secretary of Assostampa Caltanissetta, and at the end of which was followed the training course “Equal condicio and local radio and television system – communication in the electoral period”, held by Aldo Mantineo, commissioner Corecom Sicilia, the moment of discussion It falls within the scope of other appointments in Sicily by Alessandra Costante – who was the first secretary in the history of the trade unions to be present in Caltanissetta -, which focus on the themes of well-being at work, professional dignity through the guarantee of compensation finally fair together with the defense of contract, freedom of the press and value of memory.
“It is not the territory that makes the difference – began Tiziana Tavella –, but the willingness of people to walk together. The smaller the territory, the more important the reality because it is precisely in the small territory that the worst crimes against freedom of information take place.”
Tavella continues by underlining how in small territories there are setbacks in what are the safeguards of democracy and freedom of information, and how, precisely, being small territories they must be more preserved and how necessary it is to commit ourselves to protecting the dignity of the journalist, countering attacks on the profession. “The first step is to always remain united, and be proud of being journalists, because doing it together is different from turning ourselves into a series of islands. A territory is not small if another one walks next to it and if it is illuminated by our profession”.
Therefore, unite and protect your category with strength and dignity, combating precarious employment, illegal work and providing fair and free information.
Following the speech by Sergio Magazzù, who launches an invitation to all journalists where it is good to form a common front “to defend the category that is in difficulty and do something for all of us”. In support of his words, those of Roberto Ginex: “We must also focus on the moment we are going through as a category, on the rules of freedom of the press, because it is a right of citizens rather than of journalists; ensures democracy, is care and protection for it”.
Not only freedom of the press, but also precarious employment, which must be eliminated with relaunch policies that can take place in a modern way by following digitalisation, and above all by avoiding cutting the cost of labour.
“The true strength of the union is represented by the colleagues who support it – declared Alessandra Costante during her speech -. Small people divided is a problem, small people together we are a resource. My role is to stand beside each of you, alongside all my colleagues who need it. Journalists must have the peace of mind of having an income that allows them to work peacefully and if this income is not there, because information is understood as a commodity and therefore paid at a low price, it means that the constitutional prerequisites are missing. When we talk about information, yes, article 21 of the Constitution must be protected because we have the right to inform and citizens have the right to be informed, but without forgetting article 1 of the Constitution. Work must be economic independence, it must be paid in a fair and proportionate way to what you work for”.
The journalist is a citizen who exercises his right to report subordinated to ethics. He has the right and duty to offer the verified truth of the facts, to inform the citizen and the citizen, in turn, has the right to be informed by a free and independent journalist, whose work must be recognized and protected in not only professional dignity but also human.
