"Tiscali journalists have no future." This is how the Sardinian Press Association and Tiscali's Editorial Board commented on the outcome of the national roundtable meeting convened today at the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, at the request of Regional Labor Councilor Desirè Manca and her Puglia counterpart, to try to secure employment opportunities for the redundant employees.
The meeting was attended by the company, the national secretariats of the confederate trade unions, the Sardinian Press Association (the journalists' union), the editorial board of Tiscali Notizie, and the regional councilor for Industry, Emanuele Cani.
"The discussion," reads a statement signed by Assostampa and CDR, "focused on redundancies in the telecommunications sector. Only the regional councilor and the Sardinian Press Association, also representing the National Federation of Italian Press (FNSI), spoke out about the dramatic situation in which the paper's 12 journalists were left . While it's true that the redundancy incentives were extended to them as well, it's equally true that for journalists, this is a de facto forced choice."
According to the union, the prospective buyer, Canarbino Spa, has no future plans . This is despite the portal's value and online reputation being largely due to the work the publication has done over its 25 years of existence. It was learned today that the Cagliari court has granted all the protective and precautionary measures requested by the company, aimed at preventing any type of action against Tiscali. From this perspective, given that in the absence of other buyers, Canarbino's offer is binding, and will be so from June 1st, journalists are out of the running.
The next meeting is scheduled for May 25, "well after the April 17 deadline when Tiscali Notizie colleagues will have to decide whether to join the exodus or the consensual termination of the contract.
We will be asking even more forcefully for political support, particularly from the regional Department of Labor, to determine what tools can be put in place for journalists who decide to remain within the company, and for those who choose to leave."
