Member Mail 7 / 2024

SEV GATA GM: 20 Years as Part of SEV – Elections with New Board Member
Swiss: SECO Exception for Night Shifts
Swiss: Interim Solution Until New CEO Arrives
Swissport Zurich: Appeal to the Magistrate of Peace to Enforce Wage Claims

Dear Colleagues

The Swiss aviation industry is currently well positioned. An increasing number of passengers travel from or via Switzerland's airports, leading to satisfactory occupancy rates and profit situations for many airlines. The ground handling companies have no reason to complain either, as occupancy and profits reach appropriate values.

Everybody wins, except the employees. Recent recruitment efforts have been successful in offering some relief, but peak travel times can still only be tackled with extraordinary effort. Furthermore, working conditions including wages have not developed in conjunction with the economic recovery. The wages need to catch up!

SEV GATA GM: 20 Years as Part of SEV – Elections with New Board Member of the Executive Committee
Our SEV-GATA General Meeting took place on 27 June 2024. Interested members took the opportunity to experience luggage logistics at the airport on the occasion of our 20th anniversary of “GATA as part of SEV".

In addition, the ordinary elections took place. It was particularly gratifying that Remy Blum, a motivated, young employee of Swissport Zurich, was elected to the Committee. Dominik Fischer, Sandra Häfeli, Andreas Marti and I, Philipp Hadorn, were also unanimously re-elected until 2028.

The aviation team, consisting of trade union secretaries Regula Pauli and Sheila Belometti, trade union secretary Pablo Guarino and administrative clerk Ariane Mose, led by me, were also warmly thanked for their dedicated commitment.

I am very much looking forward to continuing to work with the members of the Executive Board, the SEV aviation team and Peko, including our trusted representatives. Our colleagues deserve our full commitment to their interest in this volatile industry! Thank you.

Swiss: SECO Exception for Night Shifts
Swiss Technics have been working in a 5:5 night shift model for years. With the consent of the parties concerned, SEV-GATA supported the application to SECO for the necessary exemption. The exception will expire at the end of August 2024. Signals from SECO show that the practice of increasing the shift to 10 hours / night will not necessarily be approved in the future. Due to the popularity of the 5:5 model among employees, we are now exploring possibilities in cooperation with Swiss. In general, it would be beneficial for health protection to abolish the unpopular and burdensome "additional days" (additional working days). We will stay on track!

Swiss: Interim Solution Until New CEO Arrives
While the departure of Swiss CEO Dieter Vranckx was announced months ago, the Lufthansa subsidiary seems to have been unclear about the succession plan. The name of the successor will be published only two days before arrival, with a transitional solution until the end of September.

SEV-GATA congratulates the new CEO with clear expectations:

1. Secure or expand the significance and freedoms/independence of Swiss within the LH Group.

2. Commitment to "social standards" towards employees and the new climate requirements.

3. Give the social partnership the necessary status so that we can finally have a partnership on equal footing. It is imperative that HR management uphold these standards. The current situation is an explosive device.

4. Savings projects initiated in 2024 after the record year that was 2023 must be stopped immediately.
 

Swissport Zurich: Appeal to the Magistrate of Peace to Enforce Wage Claims
Despite the submission of a petition with over 1300 signatures, Swissport Zurich is adamant about wage adjustments for the current year. By appealing to the cantonal Magistrate of Peace, the arbitration procedure is intended to ensure that employees' concerns are being heard.

The upcoming summer break offers an opportunity for some vacation days, for others, it is a particularly intensive work period due to the many flight movements.

SEV-GATA guarantees: We are here for our members during the summer weeks and are committed to your interests.

Your membership shows your trust. Thank you. Your colleague's new membership motivates us and strengthens our success. Thank you.

SEV-GATA, your aviation union, working for your interests!

With sunny regards,

Philipp Hadorn, President & Trade Union Secretary SEV

SEV-GATA, your union in the aviation industry!
Philipp Hadorn, President GATA: SEV-Aviation
/ www.sev-gata.ch / www.sev-online.ch