FIA-LA and UNI-MEI/ Panartes annual Joint Seminar in Iguazu, 24-27 November 2015

Delegates from FIA-LA, the Latin American group of FIA, gathered with UNI-MEI/Panartes delegates in Iguazu, Argentina for a 3 day joint seminar. The event was kindly hosted by SATSAID (Sindicato Argentino de Television, Telecomunicaciones, Servicios Audiovisuales, Interactivos y de Datos) from 24 to 27 of November 2015. Regional groups from both federations met to discuss issues of common interest and implement projects funded by Union to Union, the Swedish trade union confederation.

The seminar started with words of welcome by Horacio Arreceygor, Secretary General of SATSAID and was followed by a special focus on Argentina. Several speakers took the floor: SATSAID representatives in the Province of Misiones, Eduardo Silva (Deputy Secretary General), Gaston Gularte (Provincial Deputy Adviser) and Marcelo Rodriguez (Secretary General) spoke about the recent 'Provincial Broadcasting Act '; German Calvi, Manager for the production of content for TV, Internet and Video INCAA also commented on the Act; Eng. Ricardo Beltran spoke about the contemporary challenges for media workers in Argentina. Luis Ali, Secretary General of AAA (Asociacion Argentina de Actores) and FIA-LA President, recalled the recent passing of the ‘Law of the Actor’ in Argentina and presented a Joint statement proposal calling on better recognition of the subordination relationship of all workers of the sector: it was approved unanimously.

Gittan Arwen from Union to Union presented the overall objectives of the organization and its international cooperation and development projects. Union to Union has decided to carry out an evaluation of the capacity building projects FIA is running jointly with UNI-MEI in Latin America since 2010. The independent experts in charge of the evaluation, Patricia Patricia Kistenmacher and Gabriel Molteni (Tinamus), also took the floor to present their work plan and methodology.

Among the ongoing joint projects financed by Union to Union is a comparative analysis of national legislations in eight countries regarding the working conditions and status of audiovisual workers in the region, now available in Spanish and Portuguese. The researcher conducting this study, Alberto Jose Robles, came to present the conclusions of his work and recommendations for the common regional strategy.

Anna-Paola Martino (Sindcine, Brasil) and Daniel Fernadez (Gremiocine,Uruguay) made a presentation of the interactive on-line tool called SIRAT, designed to inform cross-border workers and to support trade union cooperation to better defend the interests of the travelling workers in the sector. As the SIRAT tool is in it’s first phase of development, the presentation focussed on unveiling the new design, and explaining future uses and regional implementation objectives.

On the last day of the seminar, delegates worked in small groups to brainstorm about themes and priorities for the development of the common regional strategy. After sharing their conclusions, the delegates agreed on a 2016 action plan that would include the development of the SIRAT tool, the organization of 2 national workshops (with the aim to support national trade unions in their efforts to organise workers in the audiovisual sector and to influence national audiovisual policies) and 1 regional seminar. The 2016 national workshops are to take place in Chile (in May) and in Uruguay (in December). The next Regional seminar will also be organized in Uruguay in December 2016. 

- Declaracion de Iguazu 2015