Protest against the dismissal of the Tages-Anzeiger and Bund Peko presidents
The staff of the *Tages-Anzeiger* and *Bund* protested this week against the massive job cuts. On Thursday, Tamedia executives dismissed the chairs of the two employee committees at the *Tages-Anzeiger* and *Bund*. The journalists’ association Impressum, the Swiss Union of Media Professionals (SSM), and the media union Comedia issued a statement protesting the dismissals.
The staff of Tages-Anzeiger and Bund protested this week against the major job cuts. At the rally, the main fear was a loss of quality and a sensitive issue was raised: A reduction in jobs while profits have been high in recent years.
Now, on Thursday, those responsible at Tamedia dismissed the presidents of the two personnel committees of Tages-Anzeiger and Bund. The journalists' association Impressum and the media union Comedia announced in a statement that they would be protesting strongly against this measure. The Swiss Syndicate of Media Professionals SSM also condemned the dismissal of the two union-active journalists in a statement.
According to the SSM statement, the process shows that the neoliberal management of the Tages-Anzeiger always resorts to unfair means when it comes to punishing critical and committed employees. Daniel Suter, who has worked as an editor at the Tages-Anzeiger for over 20 years, and Daniel Goldstein, who has been an editor at the Bund for over 30 years, have been active in their respective staff committees for several years. If Peko members are dismissed, this is a clear signal from the publisher that it does not recognize its employees as social partners, according to the statement from Comedia and Impressum. In recent weeks, Suter and Goldstein have campaigned intensively and with commitment against the mass redundancies at Tamedia's newspapers and have thus exposed themselves. Their dismissal now suggests that they were to be punished for their commitment. The members of works committees need special protection against dismissal - and the respect of the employer - in order to be able to carry out their work independently.
According to a statement from the media union Comedia and the journalists' association Impressum, Daniel Suter and Daniel Goldstein are at an age at which early retirement could at least be considered instead of dismissal. However, the two staff representatives - as well as many other Tamedia employees over the age of 58 - have not been given the choice to take early retirement voluntarily, depending on the financial offer. Tamedia had already given notice to all these people before it was clear what the outcome of the negotiations on the redundancy plan would be for them. According to the statement, many of the older employees affected would have been prepared to take voluntary retirement if they had received the appropriate benefits in order to prevent younger colleagues from being made redundant.
Now, on Thursday, those responsible at Tamedia dismissed the presidents of the two personnel committees of Tages-Anzeiger and Bund. The journalists' association Impressum and the media union Comedia announced in a statement that they would be protesting strongly against this measure. The Swiss Syndicate of Media Professionals SSM also condemned the dismissal of the two union-active journalists in a statement.
According to the SSM statement, the process shows that the neoliberal management of the Tages-Anzeiger always resorts to unfair means when it comes to punishing critical and committed employees. Daniel Suter, who has worked as an editor at the Tages-Anzeiger for over 20 years, and Daniel Goldstein, who has been an editor at the Bund for over 30 years, have been active in their respective staff committees for several years. If Peko members are dismissed, this is a clear signal from the publisher that it does not recognize its employees as social partners, according to the statement from Comedia and Impressum. In recent weeks, Suter and Goldstein have campaigned intensively and with commitment against the mass redundancies at Tamedia's newspapers and have thus exposed themselves. Their dismissal now suggests that they were to be punished for their commitment. The members of works committees need special protection against dismissal - and the respect of the employer - in order to be able to carry out their work independently.
According to a statement from the media union Comedia and the journalists' association Impressum, Daniel Suter and Daniel Goldstein are at an age at which early retirement could at least be considered instead of dismissal. However, the two staff representatives - as well as many other Tamedia employees over the age of 58 - have not been given the choice to take early retirement voluntarily, depending on the financial offer. Tamedia had already given notice to all these people before it was clear what the outcome of the negotiations on the redundancy plan would be for them. According to the statement, many of the older employees affected would have been prepared to take voluntary retirement if they had received the appropriate benefits in order to prevent younger colleagues from being made redundant.
