Media report of 29 november 2013
SEV-GATA criticizes dumping-offers at the expense of the personnel
Swiss is trying to take a hard line against ground staff
Although presenting top results within the airline industry Swiss is putting massive pressure upon its employees. CLA-negotiations broke down and wage talks remained without a result, too.
Inspite of an enormously increased productivity Swiss staff is supposed to carry the can with further cuts for strategies like "Calvin“ entering the market in Geneva. With economy programmes like Score and Globe Swiss has already caused a stir in the past, too. Having been financed by Swiss taxpayers money and sold off cheap to Lufthansa in 2007 the airline now wants to cancel its collective labour agreement with ground staff for mid 2014.
Cancelling the CLA after union concessions is an affront» says Philipp Hadorn, president SEV-GATA and union secretary SEV. CLA-adjustments with possible cuts of about 2 percent aren’t enough for Swiss. Personnel costs should be reduced by 5 percent and a zero round should be reached simultaneously in the current wage talks. SEV-GATA is going to discuss with the employees the situation of being without a contract during the next meetings.
Again SEV-GATA noted that Swiss has continued hiring staff below the minimum wages of the corresponding pay scales. Due to union pressure this will now be corrected. Further CLA-infringements are presently being recorded. A series of outsourcings is contributing to further escalation. Latest news is that positions of human resources should be outsourced to Krakow. In his function as a National Council Hadorn critizises: «Swiss label must remain Swiss made. A product carrying the Swiss cross on a German aircraft should at least be made under fair working conditions». Minimum wage at Swiss is currently CHF 3369 per month (x13).
GATA: SEV Aviation (Groundstaff Aviation Technics and Administration) is the aviation department of the transport staff union SEV