New CLA for the graphic arts industry: Viscom in favor - Comedia divided
The Swiss Association for Visual Communication (Viscom) voted in favor of a new collective bargaining agreement in a membership ballot. Delegates from the Comedia union also approved the agreement. However, due to the close vote, it was decided to hold an additional membership ballot.
The Swiss Association for Visual Communication (Viscom) has a new collective labor agreement. This was decided at the association's ballot on January 22 with around 91 percent of votes in favor. The delegates at the graphic arts industry conference of the Comedia trade union also approved the agreement on Saturday in Bern with 44 votes in favor, 34 against and four abstentions. However, due to the close result of the vote, Comedia has decided to hold a ballot. The result of the written member survey should be available by the end of February, according to a press release issued by the union on Saturday.
The absolute peace obligation, which prohibits industrial action for the duration of the CLA, remains in place, Viscom explained the positive decision in a press release on Friday. Benchmarks have been defined for the introduction of annual working hours. Wage adjustments remain a matter for the companies. The bonuses for night and shift work can be reduced. Minimum wages will be substantially increased in two stages. Finally, parity-based vocational training was realigned and the contracting parties agreed to exchange information on a regular basis.
Opinions in Comedia differ
The supporters of the new collective labor agreement emphasize above all the important achievement that the contractual minimum wages will be increased by up to nine percent in 2009 and 2010 and that there will no longer be a minimum wage below CHF 3,500 in the graphic arts industry from 2010. In addition, it has been possible to fend off various demands for cutbacks from the employers' association Viscom and, at the same time, to push through further flexibility within the framework of the company's annual working models with clear limits, according to the Comedia press release.
Opponents of the agreement are particularly critical of the reduction in the allowance for night work. Despite a transitional provision for newspaper printers and the preservation of vested rights for existing shift workers, this is a clear step backwards. It is also incomprehensible that Viscom, despite its initial willingness, ultimately rejected the necessary declaration of general applicability (AVE) of the CLA, arguing that the new CLA was still too expensive and too complicated.
The Syna trade union, which was also involved, approved the agreement on Saturday. The employers' association announced its approval of the new CLA on Thursday.
The absolute peace obligation, which prohibits industrial action for the duration of the CLA, remains in place, Viscom explained the positive decision in a press release on Friday. Benchmarks have been defined for the introduction of annual working hours. Wage adjustments remain a matter for the companies. The bonuses for night and shift work can be reduced. Minimum wages will be substantially increased in two stages. Finally, parity-based vocational training was realigned and the contracting parties agreed to exchange information on a regular basis.
Opinions in Comedia differ
The supporters of the new collective labor agreement emphasize above all the important achievement that the contractual minimum wages will be increased by up to nine percent in 2009 and 2010 and that there will no longer be a minimum wage below CHF 3,500 in the graphic arts industry from 2010. In addition, it has been possible to fend off various demands for cutbacks from the employers' association Viscom and, at the same time, to push through further flexibility within the framework of the company's annual working models with clear limits, according to the Comedia press release.
Opponents of the agreement are particularly critical of the reduction in the allowance for night work. Despite a transitional provision for newspaper printers and the preservation of vested rights for existing shift workers, this is a clear step backwards. It is also incomprehensible that Viscom, despite its initial willingness, ultimately rejected the necessary declaration of general applicability (AVE) of the CLA, arguing that the new CLA was still too expensive and too complicated.
The Syna trade union, which was also involved, approved the agreement on Saturday. The employers' association announced its approval of the new CLA on Thursday.
