The management of Mediahuis has proposed a temporary pay cut in exchange for six additional days of leave to its staff, according to union sources.
The measure is part of an emergency plan implemented by the media company, following the disruption of a previous cost-saving plan caused by a federal government budgetary measure.
The unions have advocated the proposal to the staff, arguing that its impact would be limited and that it would safeguard employment pending negotiations on a broader savings plan for 2027. These talks are set to begin on 1 September.
Mediahuis had initially planned to save millions of euros by reducing gross salaries while offsetting the cuts through royalties, which are taxed at a lower rate. This would have enabled journalists to maintain approximately the same net salary.
However, the federal government’s decision to alter the tax system by eliminating a flat-rate expense deduction undermined that plan.
