Syndicom demands "No reduction in night surcharges in newspaper printing plants".

Shift work, and in particular regular night work, not only puts a strain on the health of those affected, but also severely restricts participation in social life, Syndicom wrote in a communiqué on Thursday. The CLA for the graphic arts industry guarantees employees in newspaper printing plants until the end of 2011 - in addition to the legally guaranteed time supplement of 10 percent - a supplement of 90 percent in cash for every hour of night work. The abolition of the guarantee for the 90 percent supplement and the forthcoming negotiations for a new CLA for the graphic arts industry next year have prompted Syndicom to collect signatures in newspaper printing plants in recent weeks and launch a campaign to defend this supplement for night work. By signing the petition "We work at night so that employers can sleep well!", 660 people affected by night work clearly expressed that the current supplements for their work at non-standard hours must not be touched.

"Syndicom draws the attention of newspaper printing companies to the fact that they are hardly competing with foreign printers," the communiqué continues. Syndicom is therefore demanding that the Viscom employers' association and its member companies continue to pay the night surcharge of 90 percent for employees in newspaper printing plants in 2012 and in the future.