Pilots and SWISS management reach first compromise

Members of the pilots' union last week marched for better working conditions. © Keystone/Alexandra Wey

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and the pilots' union Aeropers have agreed to launch the planned negotiations, waiving the conditions previously set.

A first round of negotiations will take place next Friday, according to the statement on Wednesday by the pilots’ union and the airline.

Both SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx and Aeropers President Clemens Kopetz will take part. If a possible solution emerges at this meeting, further negotiation meetings are possible later this month, Aeropers said.

The pilots had proposed such a meeting a week ago, after they had rejected a mediation offer from their employer. The employer agreed to a meeting between its boss and the pilots’ top management, but demanded a peace obligation until the end of October.

The pilots, however, were not satisfied with this condition and offered a peace period until October 23, provided that the airline would extend the protection against dismissal by three months.

The two sides have been at loggerheads over the terms of the collective work contract.

The airline management terminated the contract with its pilots in February 2021 with effect from the end of March 2022. In autumn 2021, it began negotiations with the pilots, who are not satisfied with the offers made by their employer to date.

The pilots criticise that the contract would permanently worsen their working conditions.