FNJ to stage protest for journalists’ job security, rights

KATHMANDU, JUNE 29

A meeting of the office-bearers and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists in Kathmandu today decided to stage a massive protest at Babarmahal on July 3 calling for job security and the rights of working journalists.

The FNJ stated that this demonstration was being organised with reference to the warning with a deadline that it had submitted to media houses earlier.

The meeting was chaired by FNJ president Govinda Acharya. It made a serious assessment of the impact of the global coronavirus pandemic on the media industry and the professional security of working journalists. The meeting concluded that complicated problems were seen such as expulsion of working journalists, keeping them on unpaid leave, deducting their salary, denying working environment and not giving any job responsibility during the lockdown period.

The umbrella organisation of journalists had already decided earlier to wage a strong movement for the protection of the rights and interests of working journalists.

The schedule for protest programmes are: organising impromptu sit-in protest, picketing and installing black banners at media houses where such problems have been seen, beginning from July 4, states a press statement issued by FNJ General Secretary Ramesh Bista.

The FNJ has decided to urge the government, the Parliament, professional organisations, United Nations Organisations, International Federation of Journalists, International Labour Organisation and the international community for solidarity in their demand for job security of working journalists.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.