Swiss Post cancels indirect press subsidies for some newspapers - unions call for moratorium
The newspapers that have had their press subsidies (postal tax rebates) cut by Swiss Post in recent months are joining forces to fight back. Together with Syndicom and Impressum, they are calling for a moratorium.
Together with the media and communications union Syndicom and the professional association of Swiss journalists Impressum, the media are today calling on Swiss Post to back down in an open letter to CEO Jürg Bucher. Swiss Post should reinstate all affected newspapers on the list of those eligible for subsidies. According to a Syndicom statement, it is unacceptable for Swiss Post to make cuts to indirect press subsidies during the current revision of postal legislation, which defines these press subsidies.
The ordinance on the new Postal Services Act - passed by Parliament in December 2010 - which sets out the criteria for granting Posttax discounts for newspapers, is not even in the consultation process yet. The new interpretation of the criteria that Swiss Post has adopted in recent months is therefore particularly inappropriate. Courrier has backed down and postponed the deletion, as the press release explains.
In the open letter, the signatories demand the same postponement until the new postal law and its ordinance come into force, probably on January 1, 2012, for all other affected newspapers. The signatories will also be submitting a request to the Federal Council in the next few days to ensure that the criteria for granting the post do not miss their target, namely to preserve the diversity of the regional and association press. As the trade union for the postal sector, Syndicom will be officially consulted on the draft ordinance.
