Tamedia faces staff protest over 34 job cuts

Tamedia employees protested outside TX Group’s Zurich headquarters on Tuesday after management announced plans on Oct. 5 to eliminate 34 full-time positions, a Bluewin article reported on Oct. 20.

The cuts would affect 41 employees, including 30 full-time journalism positions. That is equal to about 15% of the 270 employees who signed a letter seeking alternatives, according to Atlas360 calculations based on figures reported by Bluewin.

Dozens of journalists gathered in Zurich at noon behind a banner reading: “Journalism, not AI—Stop the layoffs now!” The protest followed a call from Tamedia’s editorial staff a few days earlier, according to Bluewin.

In the letter, 270 employees asked management to work with staff on alternatives to the layoffs. According to a statement cited by Bluewin, that request was rejected. The workforce is also demanding personnel changes in management.

Newsrooms in French-speaking Switzerland support the German-speaking employees’ demands, Bluewin reported. A consultation process is underway there under the collective bargaining agreement, though staff criticized what they described as a lack of willingness to engage in dialogue.

Tamedia said there is an ongoing constructive dialogue, while acknowledging differing views on some issues, according to Bluewin. The article did not provide a company financial rationale for the planned job reductions or a timetable for implementing them.