Member Mail 21 / 2014
Aviation 2014: Low Cost and Dumping PolicyNews: Swiss making trouble with “shift” project
Dear Colleagues
SEV-GATA’s year of anniversary has come to an end. Although we could celebrate 10 years of GATA as part of the biggest transport staff union, some events are casting a shadow over both sides of industry.
Aviation industry is rising in volume, however, revenues and working conditions are precarious in some cases. Airlines financed in so many different ways, fight mercilessly for market shares paying tribute to an almost endless competition.
No airline can keep itself out of it, after all. Swiss’ performance is in fact excellent: not only in terms of capacity but also in revenues, which are considerable. Despite these facts social partnership with Swiss has again been difficult this year.
From 1 July 2014 an acceptable CLA could be renegotiated and put into effect with Swiss. As expected the introduction of the career model and the negotiations regarding “shift models” have proved to be difficult. We were annoyed to realize again that Swiss doesn’t tackle pending problems. After a lot of time has passed Swiss is going to implement half-baked solutions any old how. Numerous questions concerning career model and shift models are still pending. An acceptable solution regarding licence fees is still outstanding, too, same as “Globe”, due to be implemented during the current year, which caused problems.
News: Swiss making trouble with “shift” project
Regula Bieri, responsible for negotiating the implementation of Art. 4 Final agreement CLA with Swiss (shift systems), has alarming news. Please note our answer to the extremely problematic Staff-News of Swiss dated 17 Dec. 2014:
We have noted the letter of Mr. Regli „Information CLA14 – Implementation“ somewhat disconcertedly. Certain statements therein need clarification.
"The delegates you appointed for the team have always informed you after a meeting in due course. Since the last meeting with Swiss on 17 November 2014 some time has passed. During this time we have been waiting for an official answer to our compromise proposal, which has not been received so far despite all promises. It’s quite understandable that this may cause uncertainty. We are not responsible for it, after all, it’s Swiss.
We have always said that we would only agree to a solution being acceptable to you. Everything else would be irresponsible, and we could and would never approve of a deal like this.
Now we have learned that Swiss apparently rejects our compromise proposal due to reasons concerning industrial law. Which reasons exactly they are, we don’t know. We have also learned that a variation has been developed, without being directly communicated neither to us nor to you, and that this variation is still being checked for its legal validity. We consider it inacceptable that this option has not been communicated to us beforehand. We have informed Swiss accordingly in our letter of 18 December 2014.
You’ll have to decide whether this option is employee-friendly or not. SEV-GATA will then comment on it accordingly and take its stand. Therefore we are keen to see how things will go on.”
In fact, restructuring measures have followed one another successively in the still young history of Swiss. “Globe“ was apparently dictated by Lufthansa, whereas the responsibility for terminating flight operations in Basle is not yet clear. It’s for sure that those affected of Technik in Basle have to suffer from the consequences of mismanagement again after permanent strategic changes. Even if it looks like job offers in Zurich, supporting measures for finding a new job in the region of Basle and the application of the social plan are being guaranteed, some of the colleagues will hardly find a satisfacory solution.
Last year the way Swiss dealt with its social partners raised questions again. Swiss was even told by Einigungsamt (office for settlements out of court) of the canton Zurich to fulfill the employer’s obligation to take measures reducing uncertainty and dissatisfaction among its staff . We still can hardly see that Swiss has learned a lesson from it.
Next week the negotiations with ground staff should come to a settlement. An ideal opportunity for Swiss to prove that it’s willing to treat its social partners appropriately and to appreciate the efforts its employees have made. You’ll be briefed about the results in a short memo next week.
Thanks to the great committment of our colleagues in the union committee and in the SEV-secretary’s office we have been able to do efficient and successful union work throughout this year again. Also many thanks to all the members who have been able to explain the union movement to their workmates in a way that the number of our membership has grown again.
Our collective power is still not satisfactory. The lethargy prevailing in the majority of our members doesn’t really enable us building up the pressure we apparently need against Swiss. The contacts we have with our German colleagues should help wakening up Swiss staff. The expiry of Swiss Luftfahrtstiftung (Swiss Aviation Foundation) in 2015, whose duty it is to take care of the interests of Swiss aviation against Lufthansa, gave me reason to submit a parlamentary Interpellation (appeal), to investigate the effectivity of SLS and check on an improved continuation. The quality control of the workplace Switzerland needs special attention, too.
It’s not yet too late to join the union this year! Applications arriving here by 30 December 2014 will be given following advantages:
1. Worker participation: New members may as well co-determine our union policy.
2. Memory-Card: our cool memory card shows that there is enough space at SEV-GATA. The PC stick in card-formate offers 4 GB of memory space and is designed in our new trendy SEV-GATA logo (it will be sent to you upon receipt of the first membership fee in April 2015).
3. Reka-cheques for CHF 200: Reka cheques, the means of payment for mobility are available to SEV-members at a discount. To get to know them new members will receive CHF 100 bonus.
4. Active or passive: A membership with SEV-GATA enables you to get actively involved in better working conditions. A passive membership will lead to more power for SEV-GATA against the employer and better working conditions – for you, too!
5. Lots of advantages: Please check out on our websites www.sev-gata.ch and www.sev-online.ch. There you’ll find countless advantages for members, i.e. for further education and insurance offers.
Now please send this mail to all the colleagues (male and female) in your department, print it out and distribute it. Becoming a new member is particularly worthwhile before 30 December 2014! Those who win a new member will get the usual bonus of CHF 50 on top!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Best regards,
Philipp Hadorn, president
SEV-GATA, Your union of the aviation industry!
Philipp Hadorn, President GATA: SEV-Aviation
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