Swiss wants to terminate collective labour agreement

Swiss Airbus A320
Swiss Airbus A320-200 at Zurich Airport

SWISS has served precautionary notice to terminate the present “CLA 2011” collective labour agreement with its Aeropers pilots’ staff association. The action has been taken – with regret – following the failure of the latest discussions with the association. As a result, CLA 2011 is now due to expire at the end of November 2016. Until such time, all its provisions will remain fully in force, including the reciprocal commitment to maintaining industrial peace. SWISS remains open for further constructive discussions.

Following the rejection by Aeropers members this spring of a proposed new trilateral collective labour agreement (CLA) between SWISS, Aeropers and the IPG pilots’ association, SWISS and the IPG concluded a separate new CLA covering the admission to the SWISS fleet of the new Bombardier CS100 and Boeing 777 aircraft types in the years ahead. At the same time, discussions were resumed with Aeropers from July onwards to find a means of integrating the pilots represented by the association into the new CLA.

Unfortunately, the differences between the negotiating parties on the key issues involved proved insurmountable here. This is a deeply regrettable result – particularly given the billions which SWISS is currently investing in equipping itself with an advanced and efficient fleet of Bombardier CS100, Boeing 777 and Airbus A320neo aircraft. SWISS must be able to operate these aircraft within forward-looking parameters if it is to achieve its objective of securing jobs for the longer term.

An unavoidable step

In view of the irreconcilable differences in standpoints, and also of Aeropers’s repeated announcements that it would take legal action against SWISS, the company saw no option but to serve notice to terminate the present CLA with the association at the end of November 2016. SWISS remains willing to enter into further discussions with Aeropers, provided these are based on constructive and forward-looking proposals. At the same time, given the coming deliveries of its new Bombardier CS100s and Boeing 777s, SWISS will continue to pursue the adoption of its new CLA with the IPG – which remains additionally open to accommodate the company’s Aeropers pilots.

CLA 2011 remains unchanged

SWISS’s action in serving notice to terminate its CLA 2011 with Aeropers has no immediate impact on the company’s Aeropers pilots. The present CLA and all its provisions will remain fully in force until the end of November 2016. This also includes an obligation on both parties to maintain full industrial peace. So SWISS’s flight operations are at no risk of being disrupted through strike action by part of its cockpit crew corps.

Swiss