PODGORICA, 18.03.2020. – Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG) is aware of the seriousness of the situation and the responsible attitude of the competent state institutions, but also concerned about the health of our colleagues.
Therefore, Main board of SMCG urges the Public Health Institute to pay attention to employees in the media who cannot work from home.
As we know, other than basic disinfectants and limited numbers of employees coming to work in some newsrooms, no other preventive and protective measures have been taken.
Please have in mind, that in the current situation, beside healthcare professionals and police officers, journalists, photojournalists and cameramen are the most exposed to the infection. Also, please note that the necessary protective equipment cannot be procured without the support of the Institute of Public Health and the National Coordination Body for Infectious Diseases. Therefore, we ask that the basic protective equipment should be available to the media and its employees. We also request of the The Public Health Institute to provide written recommendations on behaviors, rules and obligations when reporting from the outside, all with the aim of reducing the possibility of spreading the infection.
When it comes to media outlets, we urge that people whose physical presence is not necessary in newsrooms, to be allowed to work from home, that to held editorial meetings online, to provide disinfection of premises and workspaces, and to obtain disinfectants of hands and other measures for prevention.