The media industry was one of the hardest hit when the financial crisis broke out in Greece. The harsh austerity measures the subsequent governments were forced to take as part of the deal for consecutive packages of bailout money affected many jobs in journalism, with professionals compelled to either change their line of work or lose their social security benefits. In our efforts to salvage the social security fund of Greek Media Journalists and Employees Healthcare & Pension Insurance Organization (EDOEAP), which includes welfare and medical coverage, 10,000 Greek journalists have set up a petition at avaaz.org and are pleading for your support. Help reach 1,000 signatures on the petition directed at the Greek government and EU authorities, requesting immediate intervention to prevent the scrapping of the social security and health care fund. It is a human right for 16,754 journalists and their families. Sign the petition here

Following is the full petition:

To
The Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Alexis Tsipras
The President of the European Commission, Mr. Jean ‐ Claude Junker
The European Ombudsman, Mrs. Emily O’Reilly

For the last 49 years the Greek State , as well as the Greek Mass Media owners have never contributed a dime for Health care and pensions for Greek Journalists!
They have never paid any insurance contributions to the Health Care and Social Security Organization of Greek journalists and Media employees, ( EDOEAP) in general! A paradox compared to any other employer in Greece. There had been instead a levy on media advertisement added to the employees own contribution only. Last year the Greek government abolished the levy without replacing it by any alternative resource!
Since September 2016 , 16754 Greek citizens , journalists and their families , remain un‐insured and EDOEAP ‐their NON PROFIT , Social Security/Welfare organization ‐ has no further resources to fulfil its commitments to its members. EDOEAP has already ceased to pay the monthly supplementary pension to 2.235 beneficiaries. This MUTUAL Organization, left without resources for 13 months now, collapses amid a guilty stance of all the Greek Media owners: TV channels, radio stations, newspapers, magazines and digital media all remain deafeningly silent!
The currently working (amid in the deepest ever crisis for the Greek media), the unemployed and the retired Greek journalists don’t ask for any favorable exemptions or privileges! They do demand however proper health care and their pensions like any other taxpaying citizen.
During the last 13 months, they are stripped off from their right to insurance, healthcare and pension from their self‐managed insurance institution
WE, THE SIGNATORIES, WILL NOT ACCEPT SUCH A SITUATION FOR THEM OR ANY GREEK CITIZEN!
We undersign and kindly request your IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION, in order for a viable resource to be established by the law for the Greek Media Journalists and Employees Healthcare & Pension Insurance Organization (EDOEAP) ‐ to the extent that such a right is established for all Greek citizens, according to the Greek Constitution and laws.
By this way , Greek Media owners’ unlawful behavior will be stopped. And will be no further need for a number of Greek journalists to continue their HUNGER STRIKE in front of the Athens Journalists Union (ESIEA) headquarters, in the center of Athens (a European capital!), trying desperately to attract the attention of the Greek Government in order for their Organization’s critical problem to be resolved. The Greek journalists cannot be excluded from healthcare and pensions, which apply to all employees, unemployed and retired citizens of the E.U.
It is a matter of democratic responsibility and human rights!
It is a matter of Culture and Social Justice, after all!
A matter of Solidarity in a United European Community. Notably , according to its basic constitutional principles,
E.U. is owes to defend the common share European citizens’ right to equal access to Healthcare and social benefits for all.
We appeal to you for support and immediate intervantion!
#HELP GREEK JOURNALISTS #HELP SAVE EDOEAP

“GREEK JOURNALISTS ON HUNGER STRIKE IN ATHENS TO SALVAGE THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY ORGANISATION
We are more than 10.000 Greek journalists. Please sign the petition adressed to the Greek goverment and European authorities requesting their IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION in order to prevent the social security and Health care human rights for 16754 Greek journalists and their families.
HELP stop the Greek Goverment ‘s and Media owners’ unlawful behavior! .
SUPPORT GREEK JOURNALISTS’ HUNGER STRIKE , IN ATHENS TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHT OF HEALTH CARE AND PENSIONS !”