The pilots of the Swiss airline have refused an improved offer of more than 60 million francs in the context of negotiations for a new collective labor agreement (CCT). They consider the offer insufficient and threaten to strike.
Swiss presented improvements of more than 60 million francs compared to the 2022 CCT which had been refused, the airline, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, said on Friday.
“This offer also represents a significant improvement compared to the last collective agreement dating from 2018. And this despite the increase in the debt burden due to the pandemic and the uncertain global economic situation,” writes Swiss.
Possible strikes from October 17
The Aeropers pilots’ union has made claims for an amount of more than 200 million francs, according to the company. The union’s demands would increase cockpit personnel costs estimated at around one billion francs by more than 200 million over the agreed four-year contract term.
“Swiss regrets the refusal” of Aeropers. The company still wishes to conclude a new CCT with the pilots and is available for new negotiations. The pilots are now threatening to strike.
As “Swiss has not sufficiently entered into the matter of the legitimate interests of its pilots”, the voting process on a work stoppage begins today, writes Aeropers.
“If the members approve the proposal of the executive committee and the management of Swiss does not present a significantly improved offer in the meantime, strike measures will be possible from October 17”.
No other choice
Swiss left the pilots “no choice” but to refuse the CCT, continues Aeropers. The contract was negotiated in a phase of great uncertainty. The company has yet “presented very good annual figures” and the growth of aviation continues unabated, according to the union.
“Despite all these developments, the management still considers the CCT 2022, clearly rejected by its employees, as balanced and wants to compensate each concession made to the pilots with counter-demands”, explains the pilots’ union. This is why other options are now in preparation.
ats/aps