"Only" 200 instead of 250 jobs eliminated: SRG cutbacks are lower than planned
Job cuts at SRG SSR will be smaller than planned: Instead of 250, 200 jobs are now expected to be eliminated over the next four years as part of cost-cutting measures. The goal is to achieve these reductions through natural attrition. However, layoffs cannot be ruled out.
This number could be reduced to 200 thanks to other cost-cutting measures, as SRG spokesman Edi Estermann explained Tuesday in response to an inquiry from the Keystone-SDA agency. These include the reduction of real estate space by a quarter, lower expenses for technology and distribution and lower administrative costs.
The cuts will be made primarily by not filling vacant positions. SRF will have to cut the most full-time positions with 47, RSI 43 and RTS 41. 24 positions will be eliminated at the technology and production company TPC, and 36 more at general management level. RTS and Swissinfo will be able to achieve their savings targets without job cuts.
20 million at SRF
Already after the rejection of the No Billag initiative in March, SRG had announced its intention to save around CHF 100 million. In June, it became known where savings were to be made: CHF 20 million to SRF, CHF 15 million to RTS, CHF 15 million to the general management, CHF 10 million to RSI, CHF 1 million to RTR and CHF 1 million to SWI Swissinfo. In addition, there are overarching savings - primarily in the areas of infrastructure and distribution. These amount to CHF 40 million. Real estate costs are to be reduced significantly in all regions. SRG plans to reinvest CHF 20 million. The SRG Board of Directors justifies the cost-cutting exercise with the Federal Council's cap on fee income and declining advertising revenues.
Another cost-cutting exercise has caused a stir. In mid-September, SRG's Board of Directors decided to move most of the radio information department from Berne to Zurich starting in 2020. Affected are 170 employees of information programs such as "Echo der Zeit" and "Rendez-vous". The measure is expected to save five million francs a year.
No terminations
The Swiss Syndicate of Media Workers (SSM) declared after the announcement in June that the announced cutbacks would hit the labor market hard, especially in the hard-hit media sector. The union demanded that no layoffs be made. The journalists' association Imprint had expressed dismay at the massive cutbacks announced. Since the private information media are forced to make savings, Impressum demands that the democracy-relevant journalistic information services at SRG be expanded and that the necessary resources be maintained. (SDA)
