Media union backtracks on Gaza statement that blamed Israel alone for the ongoing war
'In response to feedback from members, we clarified the language in the statement to underscore our call for 'all parties' to cease hostilities and to reaffirm our focus on the safety of media professionals,' Mihai told National Post.
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The updated version of the release, changed late Friday afternoon, leaves that last sentence intact but adds a postscript below it, reading: 'Finally, the CMG calls on all parties to end the hostilities and cease the inhumane treatment of civilians in the region.'
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The new version of the release includes a notation: 'This communication has been adjusted for clarification.'
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Mihai said that as a media union, the CMG 'believes it is essential to recognize and respond to the impact global conflicts have on both our members and media workers worldwide,' Mihai said.
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'The statement issued by CMG is part of that ongoing commitment to advocate for the protection of all media workers, regardless of location or employer. It called for humanitarian access, journalistic freedom, and an end to hostilities; values that are at the core of our work as a union.
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'Our intention was not to take a political stance, but to draw attention to the unacceptable conditions faced by journalists and reaffirm the essential role they play in keeping the world informed,' she said.
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The union member, who said several other members expressed similar concerns, said the union's original statement could make reporting on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza more difficult for its members.
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'The fact that there is no acknowledgement that there is culpability beyond just Israel makes it clear that the union is picking a side, and that's disgraceful when you consider it is a union representing thousands of journalists whose job it is to be impartial observers.'
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The CMG controversy is another example of internal conflict that can arise when unions that represent diverse memberships take public stances on divisive issues, particularly outside of their core mandates.
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Broader social activism has long been a sensitive feature of trade unions, from its century-old roots when unionization was often seen as an ideological battle between socialism and capitalism. As unionism embraced more industries and increasingly diverse workers, internal quarrels arose from union support for political parties or stands on divisive social issues, especially emotional matters, such as international wars, abortion rights, apartheid, and more recently, transgender rights.
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The Hamas attack on Israel and Israel's fierce response in Gaza have been particularly polarizing.
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Public stances on issues can be particularly sensitive for unions representing news workers. Reporters sometimes complain of their union advocating for a political party — just as they sometimes complain of their employers publishing editorial endorsements — while they are out in the field trying to remain impartial.
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