New Plan to Reform AFP's Statutes: Staff must be Informed and consulted

New Plan to Reform AFP's Statutes: Staff must be both Informed and consulted

Joint statement by the CGT, FO, SUD and CFE-CGC representing AFP staff

The CGT, FO, SUD and CFE-CGC unions at AFP are appalled to learn that a new draft law to change AFP's founding statutes is due to be submitted to the French Parliament. The existence of the new plan, proposed by MP's from the ruling UMP party, was revealed by Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand on October 4.

This initiative, put forward without anyone at all having been informed inside the agency, has caused indignation among staff.

We would like to point out that any such reform demands a basic level of trust, and a broad consensus both on the national level and within the media industry. Those conditions do not exist at the present time, given the high level of tension both outside the agency and within it - due notably to an ill-prepared and badly-executed plan to move a part of AFP's editorial team into new premises adjacent to the HQ building in Paris.

Furthermore our new president Emmanuel Hoog has still not informed staff what his plans are for AFP, having simply launched a series of themed "workshops", the conclusions and orientations of which cannot be discerned at the present time. Suffice it to say that it would be urgent to know where we are going!

We therefore demand that full information about the planned draft law be provided without delay to the unions. This is a basic right for staff, and also an essential demand for all citizens in view of the general information mission fulfilled by AFP.

We would like to remind M. Hoog that he has on several occasions stated that a reform of AFP's statutes was not a "priority" for him, and that had taken up his job "without a prior roadmap". So why such a hurry, less than seven months after the start of his mandate?

On announcing the new plan (AFP story in French) , M. Mitterrand stated that he "works very well" with our CEO. He not only mentioned a plan to change AFP's system of governance, meaning the make-up of the Board of Governors, but he also stated that the agency "does not possess either the judicial structure or the capitalistic resources, or the organisational system which it needs to face up to its challenges." (our translation).

If the French parliament is asked to consider a new law, we could easily end up with a radically modified statute for AFP.

The least that can be said is that the current situation in France, of widespread mistrust and suspicion between journalists and those in power, is not conducive to the pushing through of such a plan.

As for M. Hoog's stated desire to have individual "personalities" appointed to a restructured AFP board of governors: exactly who would appoint them, and for what purpose? That is indeed the key issue - who controls AFP and appoints its CEO.

The CGT, FO, SUD and CFE-CGC unions denounce the way the new reform is being presented as a fait accompli. We consider that if reforms are to be made, they require a calmer climate and serious prior discussions, taking the time required.

Any decision taken without a broad consensus would be very dangerous: suffice it to recall that when the current statutes were drawn up in 1957 it was only after several years of discussion, and after both a referendum among staff which approved them by a large majority, followed by a unanimous vote in parliament.

AFP staff, along with the trade unions who represent them, not to mention the thousands of people who have signed the SOS-AFP petition, have also expressed their strong opposition to any attempt to turn the agency into a joint-stock company, be it with either private or public capital.

We also reaffirm that any substantial changes to our statutes must be submitted to staff via an internal referendum, as was the case in 1957.

In order to both inform and mobilise AFP staff, we are calling for a general assembly in the old (now empty) editorial room on the third floor of the headquarters building.

The assembly will take place at 1:30 pm on Tuesday November 16th. We remind staff that they are authorised to stop work in order to attend the meeting.

The CGT, FO, SUD and CFE-CGC unions at AFP. Paris, Wednesday November 10, 2010

• More info (in French): AFP wire story on the announcement of the new plan

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