Member Mail 9/2010
Autumn Meeting with exciting insight
Wage talks in progress:
1. Swiss with settlement
2. LTSW still hesitant
Swiss: 5/5 night shift work model preliminarily secure
Dear member
Autumn is the season demanding top performance of the unionists – negotiations of marathon length are the order of the day. This mail was written after the CLA was concluded with the SBB. It came to an end tonight after the 7th talk round – this last session lasted 15 hours! Even with my store of experience I am rather relieved that a secure agreement could be reached with good working conditions for more than 26'000 staff members.
Autumn meeting with exciting insight
During the SEV-GATA autumn meeting at Euro-Airport the interested participants gained an exciting insight into the redevelopment of Zurich Airport runway 16/34. Ueli Stalder, leading civil engineer, showed „his“ film „Midnight run“ and told us about the project and his personal experience.
During the second part immediately after the final negotiations with Swiss and the first wage talk round with LTSW we were able to report about the deal negotiated and to discuss it with those present.
Wage talks in progress
1. Swiss
Presently Swiss is doing well and the prospects are promising despite a volatile market. After hard bargaining we succeeded in obtaining following result of the wage talks together with further improvements of the CLA:
A) Wage measures 2011
As of 1 January, 2011 all wages will be increased by 2 percent, minimum CHF 100,--/month (working 100 %).
The wage scales will be raised by 2,5 % in all wage brackets.
B1) CLA Adjustments
Following CLA adjustments could be obtained:
1. Continued employment after maternity leave
Amendment to article 35, new fourth paragraph
The employer will attempt to offer the employee an equivalent job with a reduced level of employment after her maternity leave by request.
2. Paternity leave
New article 35
The employee is entitled to 5 days paid paternity leave. He does not have to take 5 days off in a row, but he has to take them off before the end of the 12th month after his child was born.
3. Transitional pension now one full AHV-maximum pension
Article 38
For the period between the regular retirement at the age of 63 and the reaching of the AHV-age the employees will get one full AHV maximum pension.
4. Further training
Additional article 20
Both parties approve of and support the vocational training and personal education of their employees. On the occasion of the annual employee appraisal talks concrete measures may be fixed. For external trainings the costs taken over and the working hours provided will be agreed upon according to the internal guidelines.
5. Profit sharing model
The profit sharing model agreed upon between both parties per 1 October, 2007 will remain unchanged as far as the calculation of the individual assets is concerned. The total amount, however, will now be paid in the first quarter of the following year.
6. CLA – term
1 January, 2011 to 30 June, 2014, thereafter extension by 1 year each, 6 months notice, possible for the first time as of 30 June, 2014.
In addition further adjustments are proposed in the annex.
The management and the delegation of negotiators consider the present results a major step forward.
B2) Ratification of the CLA adjustments
For ratification of the CLA adjustments the committee has decided to call a meeting for members employed at Swiss. The management and the delegation of negotiators unanimously recommend to accept the CLA-adjustments.
The member meeting will take place on:
Tuesday, 21 December, 2010, 17.15 h at the station restaurant in Olten.
Please register for organising the meeting by 17 December, 2010 and mail to . The meeting will be held in German. If you need interpreting please make a note. A little something to eat and drink will be offered.
2. LTSW
The first talk round shows that the management is not prepared to grant any pay rise at the moment. The economic situation as presented seems to be so tight that there is no way of compensating the rising cost of living. What do the staff members think about the situation at LTSW and its zero offer? A further talk round will be held on 9 December, 2010. Some feedback in advance would be appreciated. Please mail to .
5/5 night shift model at Swiss secure until 31 March, 2012
More than a year ago Swiss launched a project to revise the shift plans of the technical department. Among others both night shift groups had been affected. At a meeting of those concerned SEV-GATA was asked to support them actively and to represent their claims to Swiss. Swiss had been aiming at a higher flexibility by increasingly using day shifts –- without compensating the extra night shift pay - up to 6 x per year in a 6/4 instead of a 5/5 model and by working up to 90 hours flextime. On 16 November, 2010 after several meetings with the head of the technical department and several discussions with those directly concerned we came to following solution:
- The 5/5 model will be maintained until the end of March 2012.
- If required Swiss may appoint each staff member to work day shift in two shift blocks (5 days) per year, without extra night shift pay. The job must be announced minimum 4 weeks in advance.
- Additionally Swiss may appoint each staff member to work day shift in 2 further shift blocks of 5 days, extra night shift pay will be made. The job must be announced minimum 4 weeks in advance.
- If the job begins earlier than 21.00 h the employees will have to be informed 4 weeks in advance too.
- If Swiss plans a change in the momentary shift model due to Airbus maintenance, the shop-stewards of both shifts will be involved in the process.
In the meantime the employees of both night shifts voted on the deal and accepted it.
SEV-GATA as well as the shop-stewards marked the outcome positively. Some changes for the worse originally intended by Swiss could be prevented. But we were only able to do so because committed work mates stood up for themselves and joined us. It just goes to show that we need both, active members and a strong trade union. There’s strength in unity.
The advent season may give you some good moments to remember essentials.
With committed regards
SEV-GATA, your aviation union
Philipp Hadorn, president
www.sev-gata.ch / www.sev-online.ch