Kostakidis defended as journalists back Palestine in historic MEAA vote
On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, a date was made at the Media Entertainment and Art Alliance (Meaa) – The union covering media and theater workers.
Dr. Martin Hirst, a long -term Meaa activist and independent Australian participant, was effective in bringing the Journalists’ Union to a stronger position on Palestine and in defending freedom of press.
Defense of Journalist Mary Kostakidis This week, the Zionist witch hunting, the largest in the history of freelance, free journalists, the national online rank and file meeting, a large extent to stand against Palestine (without any opposition) received support.
MEAA members Victorian socialists The Zionist slander has prepared a series of movements to consolidate the support of journalists who were threatened at home and to honor more than 270 news workers who were martyred by the Israeli occupation force in Gaza. The meeting also approved August 24 COUNTRY WALKING FOR PALISTINE.
The meeting approved our movement to defend our self -sacrifice Mary Kostakidis and to verify the principle that Zionism and Israel’s critique is not anti -Semitic. As we have reportedAMary was forced to defend himself of the accusations of anti -Semitism in front of the Federal Court. Australian Zionist Federation.
The August 20 meeting was called to discuss the important MEAA campaign to increase free employees and business conditions. Some good work was done and the Union is determined to create this campaign and to support more action against stubborn employers.
Free writers and photographers are ruined
Free workers are screwed right across the sector. Many of them are paid about 20 cents per word at some exits. Unity offer For 80 cents. The odds were historically higher than that, but in recent years it has gone backwards. However, even at 80 cents per word, you can solve that most freelancers do not earn much money. Furthermore, free workers do not gain holiday, patient salary or retirement.
Wage rates are not the only problem. Sometimes the editors pay for months or a story rises and the author does not receive payment. The situation is worse for photographers who earn only a few dollars for the sale of an image they are working to get all day. At the meeting, we heard that two young photographers were attacked by the Nazis a week ago. They punched and kicked and carried out their cars. Journalists employed have insurance scope, but free workers should receive their own bills.
As a few commented in the Zoom conversation at the meeting, free work is now a precarious employment for many journalists; It’s not a career anymore. This situation worsens because large news organizations cut their budgets. Losing full -time work in news rooms around the country creates even more downward pressure on free rates.
Union, individual employers Free Rights requirement with minimum wage rates for authors and photographers and substances about intellectual copyright. He signed a pair, but much more, including “progressive” outputs, are not registered in the charter.
It was an important step to hold such a big meeting to approve the free campaign in the Meaa campaign.
However, the meeting was more for two reasons:
- Historical size – at least 162 free union members attended; And
- The timing of the meeting (albeit accidentally), at this point when the Zionist lies were shattered, the public is with Palestine and after making history. March for humanity On August 3.
An opportunity offers itself
Journalists around the world were slow to undertake the cause of Palestinians. This is partly a matter of fear, because when the Zionists were brave enough to talk to journalists, they targeted. But let’s be real; It is also true that many journalists have been completely caught by the Zionist narrative and that Israel has grown the speaking points or demonized pro -Palestinian activists. Therefore, Victoria socialist activists in the Union felt a good time to be agitated between rank and file to see what the real emotion was between the Australian freelance group.
It was a very good opportunity to miss the August 20 meeting.
The Meaa leadership has already been open to the public in Gaza. The Federal authorities approved both the march of humanity and the 24th of August to the country’s march on August 3, and for Palestine. Federal MEAA officials media To condemn the murder of journalists by Israel and video Call to stop killing.
When the meeting started, I sent our movements to a conversation, and if they support people from discussing the problems in the meeting, they demanded “appreciation”. We have plenty of support. When it was time to discuss, it was really good to see a national director of Meaa, Cassie DerrickStep and support our movements.
A historical vote for Palestine
We had three movements prepared for the meeting: support for Mary Kostakidis; Condemning the murder of journalists in Gaza; And one supports the 24 August national mobilization.
We wanted to send a strong message to the members of the Meaa within the major news organizations that they were not alone and that it was a strong feeling that supports them in the rank of the union. We hope to encourage more resistance in the news machine. It may take some time to do this, but we hope to give them strength by showing our strength. This is also a sign that they should be more prioritized to defend the members of the union to the union structure.
Finally, we want to state that the union is a pro -Palestinian feeling together by adding our voices to the public position against the killing of genocide and news workers in Gaza.
This week we made a date and put Australian free journalists firmly on the right side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMQ8ouw95-U
Dr Martin Hirst is a journalist, writer and academic. You can follow him on Twitter @ethicalmartini.
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