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Syndicom Graphical & Packaging defends its collective agreement

Published: 13 June 2016
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On 11th April 2016 the Head of UNI Graphical & Packaging Javier Carlés visited the offices of Syndicom in Bern. He was received by the Chief of Syndicom Graphical and Packaging Roland Kreuzer, Angelo Zanetti and Nina Scheu. During the meeting they discussed the situation in the printing and packaging industry in Switzerland, the struggles and challenges of Syndicom as well as the overall strategy of UNI G&P.

With a labor history that begins in 1846, Swiss graphical workers have had many battles and conquests. Recent milestones of this story can be found in 1979 with the merger between printers and bookbinders, in 1999 with the creation of Comedia uniting these with media workers and in 2011 with the creation of Syndicom.

The graphical and packaging section of Syndicom has about 3,000 members. The collective labor agreement in force in the industry, applies to employees of the companies members of Viscom, the employers' association. Today the union faces the challenge of Tamedia’s exit of that business chamber in order to escape the collective agreement.

Tamedia had record profits in 2015. 78% of this result comes from graphical and journalistic products. Tamedia figures would be a reason for joy, if at the end of 2015 the company had not left Viscom to try to escape the collective agreement and avoid to pay extra for night work set out in the contract.

On April 9 Syndicom protested in the Assemby of Tamedia’s shareholders, demanding the immediate return of the company to Viscom and the respect of the collective agreement, a lasting commitment with good working conditions, and the active participation of Tamedia in the negotiations of the collective agreement for Swiss German and Swiss Italian journalists.

The productive and fraternal meeting between the Head of UNI Graphical & Packaging and Syndicom Graphical and Packaging culminated with the affiliation of Javier Carlés to Syndicom and Ronald Kreuzer inviting him to talk at the next Annual Meeting of the graphical and packaging section of Syndicom on 1st October 2016 in Bern.