The Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) organized a seminar on the strategic union building for young journalists.
The two-day seminar began on Thursday, December 15 and is set to end on Friday, December 16.
Comrade Pa Louis Thomasi who is the director of IFJ Africa office while speaking about anti-union discrimination urged young journalists in Kenya, East African and Africa at large to join trade unions.
According to Mr. Thomasi, many young journalists fear joining trade unions join due to misconceived ideologies & perceptions.
He compared journalists in Europe and America to those in Africa, saying those in Europe rush to join unions unlike those in Africa who shy away from unions because of the wrong notion that joining unions will threaten their chances of job opportunities or promotions.
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The IFJ Africa office director further added that some young journalists believe that Unions will not do anything for them. However, Thomasi dismissed these notions terming them as anti-union discrimination and propaganda by management.
Additionally, Mr. Thomasi noted that the sole purpose of the seminar is to create awareness for young journalists to walk with the union and recruit their peers.
He observed that the problem also lies with unions lacking the capacity and strategy to organize journalists in the digital sector.
According to the IFJ Africa office Boss, most journalists in the digital sector are young and have remained faceless because they work from home.
Pa Louis Thomasi, Director @IFJGlobal Africa office "Many journalists who work online, remain faceless" pic.twitter.com/cAUnHF9MNB
— KUJ Kenya (@KUJ_Kenya) December 16, 2022
Furthermore, Thomasi said reaching these journalists working from home is a challenge to the unions, thus, only young journalists registered with any of the unions can hel:p in the recruitment as these are their peers.
Mr. Thomasi further stated that journalists can only purposefully fight for their fundamental rights if they are organized. Otherwise, the problems and challenges journalists face will remain the same.