Member Mail 8 / 2015
Swiss has Problems with Workers‘ Participation
Technic Maintenance: New Shift Regulations
Function Classifications
Intervention against further Alterations to Shift-/Working Hour Plans
Dear colleagues
Many airlines are envious of Swiss about its economic situation: the figures are good. The employees make an excellent job. The results motivate and safeguard jobs. Of course, major investments are ahead and competition never rests. Anyway: hysterical economizing would be wrong, quality and consolidation should be called for.
Swiss has Problems with Workers‘ Participation
As a result of the inspection of shift- and operating plans conducted by SECO, National Department of Trade and Industry, resp. the office in charge of economic affairs, Swiss received a warning. In the process of making the necessary adjustments we realized that Swiss was still having problems in complying with the unions’ rights of co-determination, as specified in the collective labor agreement (CLA), with special arrangements and staff commission regulations. Swiss still fails to recognize that the idea and purpose of social partnership is to work out solutions jointly.
Technical Maintenance: New Shift Regulations
According to the CLA new regulations of the shift model have been cautiously worked out. Delegates could be selected from all maintenance shift groups and reported to SEV-GATA. They were asked to find out what their fellow workers’ ideas, demands and acceptances were. A small group of those selected was sent to the negotiation table with Swiss. In the meantime an agreement, said to be acceptable by those concerned, could be achieved. After all, we succeeded in implementing an adjustment of the working hours. After having explained the particulars in detail to the shift workers, they were accepted. The break regulations were implemented as from September 1, 2015, the remaining regulations will come into effect as per October 1, 2015 along with a direction how to apply them in practice. Every six months the measures taken will be checked by the social partners for correctness and efficacy. In this agreement the decision of Swiss to pass the AML license renewal costs on to the workforce, which we think was wrong, could be corrected, too. In future these costs will be paid by Swiss!
Function Classifications
Swiss has still a problem in accepting the contractually agreed workers’ participation in classifying positions into function grades for the first time. After we had intervened Swiss gave way and was finally prepared to re-negotiate the matter. Unfortunately when we called upon our members to cooperate in this process we met with little interest. Now we are forced to go through a shortened procedure and do without certain rights of workers’ participation. Naturally the members affected are free to intervene as necessary and check the matter in case of clear misjudgments.
Intervention against further Alterations of Shift-/Working Hour
Although we have repeatedly advised Swiss of our rights of co-determination, Swiss tried to get an extension to the special permission for Maintenance Geneva in a rush. Just as one-sidedly Swiss tried to alter certain shift- and duty plans violating workers’ participation rights. SEV-GATA immediately intervened against this procedure.
In the near future it is planned that SECO will carry out an inspection at Swiss. If necessary we’ll also have the unions’ and staff commissions’ right of participation inspected and judged for violation by a third party (control authorities).
Dear colleagues, SEV-GATA will continue looking after your interests towards your employer consequently and courageously. At the same time we would appreciate getting a better response from your side assuring us of your readiness to co-determine. So we’ll be able to work out widely accepted solutions or to prepare and take the way of escalation together consequently if necessary.
Your membership at SEV-GATA is worthwhile in many ways. We are motivated to keep fighting successfully for your working conditions and to take care of your interests.
With best regards
Philipp Hadorn, president
SEV-GATA, your union of the aviation industry!
Philipp Hadorn, president GATA: SEV-Aviation
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