The moving tribute of the Sports Channel to Moody Bar On before the Champions League final (courtesy of the Sports Channel)
Dozens of sports photographers working as freelancers have decided in recent months to unionize through the Act television workers' union, and try to improve their working conditions with the channel's management.
One of them, B, explains to Walla!
Barangay what the fight is actually about.
In a reformed country that cares about the dignity and livelihood of the worker, I didn't have to be afraid and hide behind a shadow and a code name.
I probably shouldn't have feared for my rights either, or rather the lack of conditions and rights.
Once there was someone who called our country a villa in the jungle.
When it comes to the conditions of sports photographers in Israel, there is no villa.
Just one big jungle.
Have you ever thought who these people are who make sure to bring to your TV screen every week the Premier League football and basketball games?
that bring the many sports lovers in Israel the quality product of live sports broadcasts?
Most of us know the broadcasters and commentators who appear constantly (photo: Barney Ardov)
We are the transparent people
Extra reward for night work?
You made us laugh.
Social benefits?
Only in our dreams.
Payment for travel and gas?
Can we forget about it?
Work without a limit of hours, on Saturdays and holidays.
Want to make a living?
Please, give up any hint of a personal life
True, most of us know the broadcasters and commentators who appear constantly, but we are the transparent people.
As photographers we are used to being behind the scenes.
There is probably something comfortable and intimate about hiding behind the lens, but maybe that's why no one is interested or paying attention to the trampling of our rights over such a long period of time.
Just to give you a heads up, our salary has not been updated for over two decades!
And even so, inflation eats away at the little money we still have left.
Extra reward for night work?
You made us laugh.
Social benefits?
Only in our dreams.
Payment for travel and fuel?
Can we forget about it?
Work without a limit of hours, on Saturdays and holidays.
Want to make a living?
Please, give up any hint of a personal life.
This is the life of the freelancers, but don't be confused.
We are independent only in appearance, but almost all of our work is concentrated in one workplace.
This is why it is easy to exploit and trample on us.
Welcome to the slave market of 2023.
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There is never any money for this (photo: screenshot, from the Sports Channel)
So that's it, no more!
We work in a successful industry that makes huge fortunes, but when it comes to modestly improving our conditions so that we can return home with a fair wage, there is never any money for that
After years of neglect and exploitation, we embark on a fight for the right to work and earn a living with dignity.
I and most of my co-workers have decades of experience in photographing sports events.
What didn't we pass?
Olympics, Final Four, Cups and Championship games and we are still paid a disrespectful salary that is impossible to live on with dignity.
And the most painful - that they are not even willing to talk to us about improving the situation.
We work in a successful industry that makes huge fortunes, but when it comes to modestly improving our conditions so that we can return home with a fair wage, there is never any money for that.
Last week we met with dozens of photographers and decided to form a cry and organize within the Act union, which represents us and the rest of the workers in the television and film industry.
We have children and family, mortgage and loans and with respect and professional satisfaction it is impossible to pay bills as we know.
We are discouraged, we are frustrated and we know deep in our bones that this cannot continue.
We will make sure to remind everyone who forgot or wasn't sure, that behind the camera are flesh and blood people and not robots.
The writer is B., a sports photographer for over 30 years.
Barangay
Tags
Act
Herzliya Studios
the sports channel
