After four years of difficult negotiations, during which employers withdrew from bargaining once and unions organised industrial actions, journalists now have a new collective agreement. The agreement is the first to apply to both print and online editorial staff of daily and weekly newspapers, permanent freelance staff and to technical-editorial staff equally. The standard working week remains 38 hours, but work on a sixth day will not be counted as overtime and paid at a 50% supplement. In terms of pay the agreement represents a step back for the journalists. Starting pay is down to €2,185 (from €2,541) per month and increases to a ‘standard wage level’ in over three years. After that, journalists are entitled to pay increases every five year in a procedure that is also more sober than its predecessor. Where previously pay increases were given in full at the first year of the next five years period, the increases are now spread out over several years and the total percentage amounts are slightly lower. Both unions and employers have welcomed the agreement as a major step forward for the sector.
English: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/05/articles/at1305011i.htm
For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.