6 months after the launch of the newest sector in UNI Apro, the UNI
Apro MEI held its first committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on
the 4 March 2014.
The committee was impressed with the organizing efforts and results
that the UNI MLC and its media-broadcasting unions have delivered over a
short span of time. Looking at the outcomes of 5 new unions – Astro
Production Employees Union, Astro Production Executive Union, Primeworks
Executive Union, TV3 Executive Union, Al Hijrah Union – the UNI MLC and
the anchor union, TV3 Employees Union led by the effective leadership
of Bro. Shafie and Bro. Khairu respectively, is a clear testament to how
national liaison council and affiliated unions are building new and
strong union movement in the services-media sector.
As we were just days before the International Women’s Day on 8 March,
gender equality and equal opportunities is high on the agenda for UNI
Apro MEI committee both in ensuring equality in the workplaces as well
as content of media are gender sensitive. Yoko Ogawa, UNI Apro Director
for Equal Opportunities, Angelina Arguelles of NABU Philippines and
Anita Bindu of UNIME Nepal emphasized that there is still some way to go
before we can truly close the gender gap that exists in the labour
market and to end discriminatory practices that still permeates. The
Philippines public television together with the union PTVEA is drawing
up an advertisement campaign to educate the general public about sexual
harassment and is one concrete step with union-management gender
committee are working together to put a positive message forward.
The committee was also grateful to the contribution of LBC-NVK
Belgiuim who was present at the meeting through its National Officer for
ICTS and Media, Bro. Koen Dries. As affiliates in UNI Apro MEI are
mostly enterprise level unions, they are limited in resources in
bargaining and are exploring ways to be federations or extend the
coverage of bargaining agreements onto other segment of the media
workforce. The setting up of the media social fund – Mediarte – was
clearly an extremely powerful instrument and platform that enforces
union-employer federations to dialogue and cooperate while at the same
time, provide relevant and valuable database for the union to develop
policies, campaigns and services for its potential membership.
Health and safety is a major priority issue for the UNI Apro MEI
affiliates, and an area of cooperation with the Asia Pacific
Broadcasting Union (ABU). Both UNI Apro MEI and the ABU rated the safety
and health of those who work in the news department as a common concern
in a region that is plagued with conflicts and disaster. Yet, very few
broadcasters have in place rigorous health and safety policies/
frameworks or even set up a H&S committee to dwell into this issue.
As such, on 5 March 2014, the ABU-UNI Apro MEI convene a joint seminar
to bring into awareness the need for broadcasters to initiate
hazard-risk management system and were introduced what are available in
Radio New Zealand, Australia Broadcasting Corporation and NHK Japan.
The participants of the seminar request in-depth national and regional
training on specific aspects on H&S.
We are grateful for Bro. Ian Bull’s contribution to moderate and facilitate the seminar.
Bro. Ang Wah Lai, Vice President of UNI Apro MEI Committee chaired the meeting on 4 March 2014.
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Kuala Lumpur Time
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