Journalists at AFP held a 24-hour strike to protest potential changes in the status of journalists working outside France.
This strike is expected to primarily disrupt the French-language production of Agence France-Presse during a period of significant domestic news.
It includes the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, EU elections, and a TV appearance by President Emmanuel Macron.
The strike was called by unions within AFP following the change of a post in Brussels from a “headquarters” contract to a “local” contract, which offers less generous housing and social benefits.
Unions view this as part of a broader effort to reduce the number of headquarters-status posts in the agency, which operates in 150 countries.
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
“The staff demands the maintenance at the current level, i.e. 151 positions, of the network of expatriates with headquarters status in all languages,” stated a motion voted on by staff.
In an internal note, AFP management expressed its commitment to “maintaining a strong global network with a significant population of expatriate journalists.”
The note emphasized that AFP is unique among global agencies for having such an extensive program, which it believes is highly valuable.
However, it also highlighted that rising global taxes and social charges have made sustaining the expatriate network more expensive, necessitating reforms to make the system “fairer and more diverse.”
