Syndicom: Diversity of opinion in Ticino at risk
The events surrounding the merger of Giornale del Popolo and Corriere del Ticino have met with criticism from the Media and Communications Union. The diversity of opinion in Ticino is in danger. The working conditions of media professionals there are already difficult.
What the editors of "Giornale del Popolo" and "Corriere del Ticino" had to tell the staff yesterday (Werbewoche.ch reported) is a capitulation to the harsh reality of the advertising market and a consequence of the unfortunate petty war that the major publishers in Ticino have been waging since the launch of the free newspaper 20 Minuten, Syndicom said in a press release on Thursday.
The logistical merger of the external newsrooms of the Giornale and Corriere and the collaboration between the business and sports editorial teams, which will be introduced from 2013, is intended to ensure the continuation of the Giornale del Popolo. However, this is primarily a concentration process that threatens the diversity of information and opinions.
In the press release, Syndicom demands that the collective labor agreement from 2004 be adhered to, especially as all Ticino publishers have always promised to continue to respect the agreement once it expires. Where close cooperation between the editorial offices of Corriere and Giornale is planned, the journalists concerned must be consulted and involved in the planning before implementation. The publishers should also be reminded that the editorial guidelines are an integral part of the employment contracts, the press release continued. In addition, the express consent of each individual journalist is required if their articles are to be published in other titles.
It only makes sense to defend the diversity of the press if the working conditions of the people who guarantee it with their daily work in the editorial offices are protected at the same time. Syndicom is calling for the restoration of clear framework conditions for the entire profession and currently in Ticino, so that the publishing and advertising petty war is no longer fought at the expense of the employees. The union is once again calling on Timedia to enter into dialog with the social partners. It is high time to start negotiations on a collective labor agreement that enables high-quality information work.
