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MEM-Industry:
Successful Conclusion to the EWC Negotiations |
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Zürich, 01.12.2005 Swissmem (ASM) has concluded a progressive collective bargaining agreement with its social partners for the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industry, which strengthens the competitiveness of companies in Switzerland as a workplace. The contract provides an important innovation with the possibility of controlled exemptions from working-time regulations. In addition, the new EWC promotes social partnership and advanced training in the enterprise, as well as the compatibility of having an occupation and a family. With the successful renewal of the EWC the social partnership as an advantageous location is secure until 2010.
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With the new Collectitve Bargaining Agreement (GAV) Swissmem has succeeded, as from 1st January, in concluding a trend-setting agreement for the MEM-Industry."The new exemption article, which allows controlled exemptions from the working-time provisions, is an important step and a strong reply to the challenges of global competition," said Swissmem-President and lead negotiator Johann N. Schneider-Ammann at the press-conference on December 1st. "Thanks to the understanding that the Social Partners are jointly responsible for the competitiveness of the Swiss MEM-Industry, it was possible to agree on a new, trend-setting regulation."
The demand, put on the table by Swissmem, that enterprises be given adequate opportunity to deviate from the proper Working Time Regulations was the main point of the negotiations up until the final hour. The Social Partners agreed to re-work the former "Crisis Article" into a more extensive Article of Exemption (Art. 57). The new GAV permits exemptions from the Working Time Regulations for the following reasons:
a) to adapt to particular cycles of capacity
b) to implement special innovation projects
c) to overcome economic difficulties
d) to improve competitiveness.
As a rule, these exemptions will be agreed with employee representatives in the enterprises. The employee representative associations will participate in the decision dependent on the nature and duration of the exemption.
To promote social partnership within the enterprise, the new contract strengthens the position, protection and rights of co-operation of the employee representative committee with various measures. It will also be involved in the enterprises' advanced training activities, to which the GAV has given significant impetus in the recommendation for three days advanced training for every position.
With the increase in paid maternity leave to 16 weeks on 100% of salary and an additional family allowance of 200 Swiss francs, the Social Partners wish to give a sign that having an occupation and a family are compatible. A clearer regulation of the procedure in the event of restructuring should ensure, moreover, that even continuing structural change can be overcome while observing the principles of Social Partnership. The contract comes into force on 01 January and applies for five years until 31 December 2010.
Outwith the GAV, the Social Partners have agreed, in a Protocol Declaration, to analyse the varied aspects of flexible retirement/part-time work for retired people over the next two years in a joint working group. This analysis will take place, however, without prejudice to subsequent decisions taken by the contracting parties.
The Social Partners to the Collective Bargaining Agreement in the MEM-Industry are the Association of Swiss Engineering Employers (Swissmem/ASM) on the one hand, and the Trades Unions VSAM, Unia, Syna, SKO and KV Switzerland on the other. 600 enterpriises and 113,000 employees are subject to the GAV. The GAV contains progressive working conditions, properly upgraded employee co-operation in the enterprise and, since 01 June, 2004, a procedure for the prevention of wage dumping in conjunction with freedom of movement of persons between Switzerland and the EU. The new contract applies from 01 January 2006 for five years.
Further information is available from:
Dorothea Tiefenauer, Manager, Communications Division
Tel. +41 (0)44 384 48 50 / Natel +41 (0)79 642 11 41
E-Mail: d.tiefenauer@swissmem.ch |
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Summary of the innovations in the GAV for the MEM-Industry