Engaging people and empowering union action in the media, entertainment and arts sector

The unions of media, entertainment and arts workers from across Europe have decided on common priorities and elected their leadership for the coming four years.

The media, entertainment and arts sector of UNI Europa brings together unions from across Europe with a combined membership of 200,000 people who work in the sector. Its General Assembly takes place every four years and was held online from 5-7 April 2022. Delegates adopted two resolutions: one on Strategic Priorities and the other on EU Social Dialogue.

Throughout their Strategic Priorities is a commitment to build workers’ associational and institutional power. Building the capacity of union activists and leaders and investing in sustained base building, including through the expansion of effective digital organising tools and further strengthening the say of freelance and self-employed workers were all key organising priorities. On institutional power, key priorities were defending, building, and extending sector-wide collective bargaining and strengthening just, and equal industrial relations.

As well as building power, unions committed to work together to leverage that power to win advances for workers in a number of priority areas. Building on the leading role unions have taken in driving equity and standing up for rights to protect all workers in the sector is one key commitment. Gender equality, diversity and non-discrimination, zero tolerance on violence and harassment will continue to be a key focus in the coming years for the sector and its affiliates, until proper change is brought about in the entertainment industry. Improving the quality of work and enhancing work-life balance is another key objective.

In a time when freedoms are being challenged, rising to protect and extend them is more important than ever and key priority for the MEI sector. Member unions will continue to work in solidarity to foster media freedom and pluralism . Finally, unions committed to take action for a sustainable and a just transformation of our industry for example with a concrete project on green production to promote environmentally friendly practices in productions and by collective bargaining.

The focus of the EU Social Dialogue resolution was on the audiovisual and live performance sector. In both these sectors, UNI Europa has well-established positive relations with sister union organisations as well as with employer organisations. As well as using these spaces to shape key EU policy initiatives, furthering the capacity of unions and national social dialogue through European-level action was recognised as key.

Three mornings of exchanges were brought to an end with the election of the leadership. The Executive Committee was approved and William Maunier was re-elected for a second mandate as President of the sector.

William Maunier has just been re-elected as the President of our Media, Entertainment & Arts sector.

The Executive Committee was also confirmed and the two resolutions were passed with unanimous votes from the General Assembly.#EngageEmpower – on to the next 4 years! pic.twitter.com/C577QDN8EA

— UNI Europa (@UNI_Europa) April 7, 2022

The General Assembly of the European region took place in parallel to the UNI Global Union sectoral General Assembly. Find out more on that here.