The Canton Geneva Chamber on Collective Labour Agreement Relations (CRCT) has been striving since 23 April to reconcile the differences of opinion between Swiss air navigation services provider skyguide and the Skycontrol air traffic controllers’ union over a new collective labour agreement (CLA) for the company’s air traffic controllers. In the course of its endeavours, the cantonal mediation body ultimately extended the process to all four of skyguide’s air traffic controller unions, and a final version was negotiated of the proposed new CLA. Skycontrol, which had initiated the mediation procedure, was the only union to leave the negotiating table, which it did early on in the process. The further three unions and skyguide brought their negotiations to a successful conclusion.
Skycontrol was also the only one of the four controllers’ unions which declined to put the result of the negotiations to a referendum among its members. The CRCT ruled, however, that all of skyguide’s air traffic controllers had to be permitted to participate in the referendum process. The result of the referendum was announced yesterday (9 July). With a voter turnout of 85%, a clear majority (61%) of all controllers and three of the four unions (i.e. all except Skycontrol) plus the group of non-unionised controllers approved the proposed new CLA. The new CLA was signed by all the signatory parties (i.e. excluding Skycontrol) at midday today, and applies to all the controllers concerned with immediate effect.
Today’s signature of the new CLA brings a two-year negotiating process to an end. The new accord not only secures the already highly favourable terms and conditions of employment of skyguide’s air traffic controllers for another three years; it also further enhances them, but does so within a framework that neither torpedoes the mid-to-long-term interests of Swiss aviation nor destabilises skyguide’s financial situation.
Skyguide remained cooperative throughout these CLA negotiations, and improved its own offer several times. The company’s air traffic controllers perform demanding duties with sizeable responsibilities which are remunerated accordingly. Their current terms and conditions of employment are above average, and skyguide air traffic controllers are among Switzerland’s highest-earning professionals.
medienmitteilung communiqué aux médias media release members to take strike action. Skycontrol represents en-route and approach controllers in Geneva, but not the controllers in Geneva Tower. Its members also work at the regional airports of Sion and Bern.