Member Mail 1 / 2024

2024 – Social Partnerships Put to the Test!
Petitions at Swissport ZRH & Swiss
Anniversary: Contest and GM

Dear Colleagues

While aviation is recovering rapidly, the quality of social partnerships does not really seem to be developing. It is unclear whether fear of new economic downturns or, in principle, a neoliberal wave can trigger turbulence in the air or in social partnerships. Once again, it will certainly be difficult to live social partnership as an added value for employees and employers in our field. The trade unions are facing the question of whether escalation, as in other countries, is being increasingly normalised in the future. Is there really no alternative way of restoring the crucial balance between the various interests without producing economic damage?

Petitions Swissport ZRH & Swiss
In the wage negotiations at Swissport ZRH, it was not even possible to secure compensation for annual inflation. On 16 January 2024, more than 1,300 employees expressed their displeasure with their signatures.

The discussion with Swiss HR management on 9 January 2024 as a "follow up" to the handover of the petition in December 2023 on the wage negotiations aborted by the company expressed frightening things: a neoliberal self-image that really calls into question a social partnership among equal partners. And all of this is happening after the endangered company had to be supported once again with enormous guarantees from taxpayers' money.

In the coming months, it will become clear whether companies are willing to share the prize for "social peace": genuine participation, willingness to negotiate and recognition of results. Several large groups of people in Switzerland believed for decades that this was a key factor for Switzerland's economic success – which lies in the interest of both employees and employers. If this is now questioned by companies, the trade unions need to prepare suitable answers. We still have the goal of bringing companies to their senses – the outcome is undetermined.

Anniversary: Competition and GM
Since 2004, GATA, founded in 2000, has been part of the Swiss transport workers' union SEV. As the largest transport union in Switzerland, a member of the European and international umbrella organisations ETF and ITF, we represent the employees of collective transport by air, water, rail and road. Even employees in the tourism sector are among our members.

The anniversary competition was met with high interest. We have already congratulated the following winners:

1st prize: Reka money worth 300 Francs
Silvija Peterschmitt

2nd prize: Reka money worth 200 Francs
Torsten Munzel

3rd prize: Reka money worth 100 Francs
Patrick Gürber

4th to 13th prize: 30 francs voucher for the SEV shop
Stefan Weber / Marco Trüb / Andre Born / Stefan Braunschweiler / Barbara Santin / Daniele Sparta / Thomas Krause / Soto Maior Bruno / Roman Bieri / Daniel Jesus Marques da Silva

We will immerse ourselves in our exciting history at our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 27 June 2024, approx. 5.30 pm. Save the date! Detailed information will follow.

As SEV-GATA, we will continue to work together for your interests in 2024. Success also depends on the degree of organisation. Are you already a member of the trade union movement? Join now or attract colleagues to join. This is worth it for everyone.

Thank you for your commitment, solidarity and trust!

Kind regards

Philipp Hadorn, President

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