Equal conditions demanded
Syndicom and Imprint are demanding the same social plan conditions for the terminated Berner-Zeitung journalists as for Tamedia's employees in French-speaking Switzerland.
The social plan benefits for the journalists who were recently laid off at the Berner Zeitung, which belongs to Tamedia, are significantly lower than the conditions for those laid off at Tamedia Publications Romandes, Syndicom and Impressum wrote in a statement on Monday. The social plan for western Switzerland was recently negotiated between the staff representatives and Impressum on the one hand and Tamedia on the other. Syndicom had also supported the editorial offices with legal assistance and trade union advice. The affected editorial teams of 24Heures and Tribune de Genève had accepted the agreement on October 21.
Just a few hours before the signing, Tamedia continued the job cuts in German-speaking Switzerland as well: five members of the editorial team were laid off at the Berner Zeitung. Syndicom and Impressum are now demanding that, in order to provide social security for those laid off at the Berner Zeitung, at least the benefits available in French-speaking Switzerland should also be applied. According to the press release, this includes in particular measures to avoid dismissals, such as an anonymous contact point for voluntary departures or reductions in working hours with the application of the social plan benefits. Further, the better conditions include extended notice periods in the event of joblessness and a fund to support retraining and avoid hardship cases. A worse position within the same media company would be incomprehensible, it is said.
