Member Mail December / 2025
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2026!
Review and Outlook
Dear Colleagues
A year full of events and engagement is drawing to a close.
Even though the labour market, inflation and the economic situation in Switzerland remained relatively stable throughout 2025 compared to other countries, we still had to face various challenges.
What we experienced globally this year in terms of political change has exceeded all forecasts: totalitarian and arbitrary tendencies have infiltrated even long-established democracies. Unpredictable and constantly changing framework conditions are problematic for all societies and economic systems.
In Switzerland, our main challenges have been insufficient protection for employees, unreliable or missing compensation for the loss of purchasing power, inadequate participation in value creation and productivity gains, excessive working hours, high levels of stress, health risks and an increasing loss of participation in social life.
Despite these issues, many employees in Switzerland also appreciate our reliable system, punctual wage payments and a high standard of living by international comparison.
However, Switzerland’s standard of living is not a given. Rather, it is the result of intense and persistent efforts.
In the current political climate, newly merged companies announce drastic job cuts as their first message to “society and shareholders,” working-time regulations are being pressurized, companies are outsourcing decision-making authority to “central offices” in other countries, wealth and income inequalities are on the rise and pose a serious threat to the labour peace that underpins prosperity.
Over the course of the past year, we were able to find reasonable — and in some cases genuinely good — solutions to pressing problems in various social partnerships. This was not always easy, sometimes accompanied by notable background noise, and often required building up the necessary pressure.
In 2026, we will be negotiating important collective labour agreements (CLA) in the aviation sector, particularly at Swiss and Swissport. At this moment, we are still in doubt as to whether the financial resources required for a cooperative, sustainable development of the CLA will be made available. If not, solidary and collective union action will be unavoidable. For now, we remain confident that “strong CLA” — for employees and a prosperous economy — can be reached at the negotiating table. With your support, we are prepared for all possible outcomes!
Thank you for your trust and solidarity, which allow us to continue fighting together for your interests. It is worth telling colleagues with pride about union engagement and the successes of SEV-GATA, recruiting new members and thereby strengthening our impact. 2026 will be a year of CLA negotiations!
I now wish you peaceful Christmas days and all the very best for the new year. We will stay on course — with your support and your solidarity, also in 2026!
Best wishes,
Philipp Hadorn, President SEV-GATA & SEV Union Secretary
SEV-GATA, your union in the aviation industry!
/ www.sev-gata.ch / www.sev-online.ch