SF: Haldimann cancels planned early retirements

Swiss television has to save money. This has also been felt by the older generation in recent weeks: In a newsletter at the beginning of May, editor-in-chief Ueli Haldimann advised media professionals to take early retirement at the age of 62. As this decision disregards the collective labor agreement (CLA) and was met with great indignation by SF employees, the management has now reversed this decision, reports "Sonntagsblick". Individual employment contracts with employees over the age of 62 will continue to be possible. Sentences in the newsletter such as "SF has an obligation to give young people a chance" or "Of course: we would prefer to continue working with everyone (or let's say: almost everyone)" were met with anger. Haldimann subsequently apologized for this statement. Many older SF employees were shocked at how television was trying to get rid of them, Ernst Gräub from the Swiss Syndicate of Media Professionals (SSM) told Sonntagsblick. SF has plenty of money for the new look and the Internet expansion, adds one of those affected. Company spokesman Urs Durrer justifies the decision in times of austerity by saying that the company hopes to have to lay off as few employees as possible. From 2009, SF will have to operate with around eleven million francs less per year. As the company announced at the beginning of April 2006, this will lead to a reduction of 50 jobs.