The Union of Journalists expects “very active participation in the general strike” on the 14th.

The president of the Union of Journalists (SJ) expects a “very strong response” to Thursday’s strike to protest instability, as well as a “cry of warning” to support journalism before it is “too late.”

The journalists’ strike is scheduled for March 14. This is the second strike in the industry in 40 years (the last was in 1982).

“I expect strong support because in fact the instability is much higher than in most other sectors, salaries are getting lower and we have not had repeated career advancement in the last 20 years,” Luis Simões told Lusa.

“We haven’t gone on strike for 40 years, at this point we have more than enough reasons to do so, because in fact the practice of journalism has degraded in incredible ways” during that time,” he continued, noting that current salaries “are minimal and the demand for journalists maximum.”

Therefore, “we have every reason to believe that we will receive very strong support for the strike,” President SJ emphasized.

This strike is not only driven by work demands, but there is another factor that is prompting the journalists to strike on Thursday: “Journalism in Portugal at the moment is not supported at all,” he stressed.

In a context in which the European Union seeks to support journalism, “Portugal is one of the Union countries in which “per capita” [por pessoa] there is less support for social communications,” he emphasized.

The strike is therefore “also a wake-up call to political power and decision-makers: either support free and independent journalism now, or it will be too late.”

Moreover, in contrast to what is happening in journalism, “the investment in disinformation is enormous, and this is how the foundations of democracy are destroyed,” so “the time has come to say: either support it now, or it will be a tragedy.” , he strengthened Luis Simões.

The day of the strike will be marked by a gathering of journalists in Coimbra at 9:00, then another in Porto, in Plaza Humberto Delgado, at 12:00, the same will happen at the same time in Ponta Delgada.

In Lisbon, the meeting will take place in Largo do Camões at 18:00, where civil society is also invited to attend.

Of more than 5,000 journalists in Portugal, SJ currently has “2,451 members”.

According to Luis Simões, the number of members has “grown”.

However, “the number of journalists is increasing, and salaries are so low that for every person leaving, three or four have to come, because today there is very little income in journalism,” he emphasized.

“You can’t make very bad money in a profession” with the demands of journalism, “the average salary of a journalist today does not reach 1,000 euros, when most of them are in urban centers,” where housing costs are very high, he said. indicated .

“It is very difficult to do this kind of journalism,” concluded Luis Simões.

The requirements notebook can be found at https://jornalistas.eu/caderno-reivindicativo-da-greve-geral-de-jornalistas/.