Disturbances were to be expected on the antenna of France 24, Thursday, November 18, due to a (renewable) strike voted in a general assembly by the employees of the international news channel. This strike, which began at midnight, follows on from several weeks of social protest, which resulted in the vote, at the beginning of the month, of a motion of no confidence in the majority of members of the management.
The presenter, Thursday morning, spoke live “A disturbed grid” because of this social movement. Employees protest in particular against the organization of the workload, too heavy and poorly recognized, management methods considered as discouraging, even “Destructive”, as well as the lack of resources.
A strike notice was tabled on November 12 and a general meeting was held. “Voted by a majority of participants to maintain the notice” Wednesday, specifies the CGT of France Médias Monde, which supports the organizers of the movement.
The CGT of France Médias Monde calls “All employees and freelancers to follow”. “Another general assembly will be held on Thursday afternoon”, to decide on the continuation of the movement, further specifies the union organization. “A jackpot will be set up to relieve the freelancers who go on strike”, still exposes the CGT.
Motion of no confidence
Among the claims, we find the “Reorganization of the chain by skills and services”, the establishment of“A plan to reduce precariousness” for freelancers or “Guarantees of benevolent management”, lists the CGT of France Médias Monde.
The angry employees had also organized a week ago the vote of a motion of no confidence against a part of the leaders of the chain denouncing “A deep degradation of [leurs] working conditions “.
The director of France 24, Vanessa Burggraf, admitted that there was ” a faintness “ within the news channel’s editorial staff and that it was necessary ” get out “, in an interview Monday on France Inter.
France 24 offers four global continuous information channels (in French, English, Arabic and Spanish), broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week to 444 million households on five continents. It has been offering its programs since the end of 2006 and belongs to the France Médias Monde group (which also oversees RFI).
Corrigendum on November 18 at 2:45 p.m.: fixed an error regarding the broadcast times of France 24 in Spanish.