Women employees of Zuger Zeitung join in national strike

While news agencies across the world reported on the alarming developments in the Gulf and the demonstrations in Hong Kong last Friday, the BBC World Service also mentioned the national strike by as many as one hundred thousand women in Switzerland, “the largest political demonstration in the country’s recent history” as they sought equal pay and rights. Not only there were large demonstrations on Bundesplatz in Bern, but also in other large cities and also here in Zug, even women employees of the Zuger Zeitung joining in.

They all gathered together in the afternoon, making their demands clear to the cantonal government. Then, later on, a demonstration took place, leading the ladies from Alpenplatz to Landsgemeindeplatz, where they were able to enjoy food and drink, a poetry slam and much music.

As the ladies of the Zuger Zeitung wrote in an article themselves, they left their offices at 3pm, leaving only men in charge.

In explaining why they were on strike, the ladies said they had a lot of good reasons, as they mentioned how, in journalism, too, there were differences in pay between male and female reporters. What concerned them was that no-one seemed to be concerned enough to broach this subject, and that jobs were not awarded to those most qualified to carry them out, adding, too, that, in their view, there were far too few women in senior editorial roles, the main print media in Switzerland being for the most part controlled by men. While of course, there were women working in journalism, those who worked part-time had little chance of promotion and it was very rare for men and women to share a senior role in this field. What is more, the organisation of cover for maternity leave was fraught with difficulties, and many thought that young female reporters were not taken seriously by older male colleagues. A number of the former said they repeatedly heard chauvinistic remarks, particularly in the world of politics; and in print media they felt more men were asked to give their opinion as experts than women, the lady journalists of Zug seeking change in this area.

It was mentioned, however, that, in the case of the renowned Zuger Zeitung, more women were actually involved in editorial jobs than men. “We are a strong mixed team,” they wrote (anonymously). “Equal rights are something we regard which should be as self-evident. This is why we laid down our pens to go on strike, to make sure that in those areas where inequality remains, something is done to put this right, just as it should be in the areas of work and society in general. We editresses, secretaries and photographers, joined in this strike to show everyone all we do for this newspaper. We want our contribution to work to valued, and demand fairness and respect.”

The photograph (taken by a man) shows a group of women demonstrators in Zug, though it is thought unlikely a young lady carrying the placard reading “Respect Existence or Expect Resistence” (sic), was in any way connected with the Zuger Zeitung. Other placards, in Zurich, where some 70,000 women demonstrated, were correctly spelt, but rather crude, which is why they are not being quoted here for the refined expat ladies of Zug to read.