No agreement reached in meeting between minister, media representatives

A meeting between Labor Minister Giorgos Katrougalos and media owners and workers on Tuesday to discuss the fate of the social security fund of journalists and management staff employed in the daily press, television and radio (EDOEAP) failed to reach an agreement.

The meeting followed two back-to-back 48-hour work stoppages by journalists last week, who are protesting the planned merger of EDOEAP with other social security funds.

Another point of contention is the so-called “aggeliosimo,” a tax paid by businesses when they advertise in the media that goes towards media insurers, which Katrougalos said creditors insist on scrapping.

The POESY federation of journalists’ unions was expected to meet later in the day to decide whether to continue the media strike.