Member Mail 4 / 2014
CLA Negotiations
CLA Meetings
Licence Fees
2014 Promotion Campaign
Dear Colleagues
Swiss has been able to increase its profit by no less than 24 % in 2013. Harry Hohmeister frankly admitted that this was due to the numerous measures taken, particularly the Score-program. While it’s one austerity program on top of another respectively overlapping one another a growing discontentment is noticeable within the workforce. Although Swiss Profit Participation Plan finally allows distributing a dividend again, many employees only reluctantly accept permanent stress due to repeated restructurings. Swiss top manager, called by the media a tireless and lonely fighter, couldn’t prevent that last autumn’s CLA negotiations and the talks with the pilots failed. We shall soon know the outcome of the contract with cabin staff. Time will also tell whether the quality of the working conditions is a consequence of Swiss management working part-time. Anyway continuing outsourcings won’t help developing a positive business culture.
CLA-Negotiations
On 14 March 2014, during the first CLA talks Swiss provocated ground staff with a 3.5 to 4% savings target. Although three further negotiation dates have been fixed Swiss calls them CLA ”talks”. Swiss still ignores that the company is bound by contract to negotiate with the trade unions and that a social partnership can only be working ”at eye level”.
SEV-GATA committee will be completely attending the negotiations. We are highly motivated to represent the interests of our members whose number is steadily growing. Your participating in our meetings and giving us feedback on Swiss’ demand to increase working hours shows us that a movement can be formed by the employees of Swiss – a movement fighting for a successful business with good working conditions. Unionized employees are still in a minority, but that is going to change in the next months.
CLA Meetings
The third CLA meeting will take place on Tuesday, 1 April 2014, 13.30 – 14.30 h, Auditorium, Swiss Main Building, Basel Airport. In this meeting we’ll discuss our CLA claims, the possibility of influencing the course and positions of the negotiations by the union members and any further action. At the same time we’ll have the opportunity of exchanging ideas regarding the employer’s intention to “develop the wage system” at Swiss Technik.
Register now for taking part in this meeting, become a member of SEV-GATA and co-determine our CLA priorities. Registration by Friday, 28 March 2014, 24.00 h, is absolutely imperative to ().
Licence Fees
Two further meetings dealing with licence registration fees took place with those concerned in March. Before talking to Swiss, we’ll collect signatures from all those concerned. In case your department is concerned and there are no signature sheets available so far, you may order them from union secretary Regula Bieri or from myself by e-mail.
2014 Promotion Campaign
SEV remains innovative: While going on a trip with SEV and SEV-GATA, all those winning new members under the slogan „Via SEV“ may expect exclusive prizes, all to do with travelling. Application forms can be found at http://www.gata.ch/downloads/1246451878_Beitrittserklaerung_D.pdf, information on the 2014 promotion campaign under http://sev-online.ch/de/mitgliedschaft/mitgliederwerbeaktion_14.php.
Last but not least: On 18 May 2014 we need a clear YES in favor of the union’s petition for fair wages (minimum wage initiative). The general meeting of SEV-GATA will take place on 21 May 2014. Further info to follow.
A dedicated fight for fair working conditions is worthwhile.
Kind regards
SEV-GATA, your union of the aviation industry
Philipp Hadorn, president GATA: SEV-Aviation
/ www.sev-gata.ch / www.sev-online.ch