Wages of media professionals stagnate for 14 years according to study
The salaries of media professionals in Switzerland have stagnated over the last 14 years. This is the conclusion of a new study by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions and the media associations Syndicom and SFJ-AJS. The most effective means of combating falling wages are collective labor agreements (CLAs).
The median salary of media professionals at the time of the survey in February 2020 was CHF 7,333, as the SGB wrote in a press release on the study on Thursday. This is around CHF 800 more than the median salary of all people employed in Switzerland according to the 2018 federal wage structure survey. However, CHF 7333 is only slightly more than in the corresponding study on the situation of media professionals from 2006.
This resulted in a median salary of CHF 7,200. This means that 50 percent of participants earned more, while the other 50 percent earned less than this amount. However, the figures from the new study are only comparable to a limited extent because an above-average number of SRG employees and many more freelancers took part in 2020 than 14 years ago. Nevertheless, the new study allows meaningful conclusions to be drawn, according to the authors.
The study shows that SRG employees earn the highest media wages at CHF 7,900, followed by those in specialist publications (CHF 7,633), the association press (CHF 7,333), online publications (CHF 7,279) and print media (CHF 7,143). Far behind are employees of private TV and radio stations with a median salary of CHF 5526.
800 francs more salary thanks to CLA
The evaluation also clearly demonstrates the value of a collective labor agreement (CLA) for wage levels in the industry, according to the study. Media professionals without a CLA earn on average 800 francs less per month than employees covered by a CLA. The study concludes that a CLA would have a stabilizing effect on lower wages in particular.
However, only print media employees in French-speaking Switzerland benefit from a CLA. There is no CLA for print media and their online products in German-speaking Switzerland or for private audiovisual media. According to the press release, those with a CLA generally have better salaries, clearer working hours and less wage discrimination.
The financial situation of freelancers has clearly deteriorated compared to 2006. Here, the median salary fell from just under CHF 7,000 to CHF 5,600. According to the study, only one in five is able to invoice the actual time spent. 4 out of 5 freelancers surveyed work with flat rates.
Extrapolated over a year, women in the media earn between CHF 1,900 and 3,100 less than their male colleagues. The gender pay gap is smallest at SRG.
Pressure, uncertainty and existential fear
In terms of working conditions, the study shows increased deadline pressure. Media professionals often also work in their free time and uncertainty is increasing. 60 percent of freelancers and a quarter of permanent employees are worried about their current order situation or their job. Nevertheless, the vast majority of those surveyed still identify strongly with their work, according to the study.
The last time media associations and the SGB conducted a survey of media professionals on their salary and income situation was in 2006. The new survey was conducted online. Over 1600 media professionals took part. All questions related to the situation in February 2020, i.e. before the pandemic.
43% of participants worked for SRG at the time of the survey, compared to 21% 14 years ago. SRG employees are therefore slightly overrepresented in the new study. Compared to the 2006 study, the proportion of freelancers and online media professionals is higher. (SDA/swi)
