FUTTVA, the Uruguayan Federation of Television Workers, adopted a manifesto at the end of August 2019 calling for reinforced union strength in Uruguay and across Latin America to address the challenges the audiovisual sectors and workers face in many countries with governments pursuing an openly neoliberal approach and a politically conservative agenda.
The manifesto underlines the deep uncertainty faced by many workers in the audiovisual industry in a context of successive political changes across many countries in the region with governments pursuing promoting deregulation and the spread of monopolies, generating increased unemployment, underpayment and massive outsourcing in the sector.
The manifesto also denounces the growing power of multinationals and the increased political and ideological influence of governments threatening the independence of media.
FTTVA underlines the need to strengthen unions and sectoral bargaining. It also emphasizes the need for trade unions to adopt new strategies to change and question the dominant power and construct a more equal and fair society. Amongst the most urgent demands are the respect of basic workers’ rights, including fair working conditions and decent wages, as well as developing social policies that benefit social inclusion, gender equality, lifelong learning and skills’ development.
The Uruguayan Federation of Television and Related Workers (FUTTVA), is a member of UNI MEI and regroups the following unions: AES (Saeta Employees Union), ADEMT (Monte Carlo TV Employees Union), ADERT (Television Network Employees Union), VTV Officials Association, ADET (Teledoce Employees Union).
FUTTVA represents more than 1000 audio-visual workers in Uruguay, seeking an improved quality of life and improved working conditions and better wages for its members.
The full text of the manifesto can be downloaded here.
