SWISS has reached an agreement with the kapers union to increase salaries by 4-18% and set a new minimum monthly pay for all cabin crew. The deal will last for at least five years and will now be voted upon by the members of the union. Let's find out more about this latest agreement.

Deal secured

Across the globe, airlines and unions are locked in intense negotiations to decide what their post-COVID benefits will look like. After three years of sacrifice, SWISS has reached an agreement with its cabin crew union to guarantee pay increases and more benefits. From January 2023, the starting salary for any new cabin crew will be CHF 4,000 ($4,247) per month, while existing members will see a minimum rise of 4%.

According to Reuters, the increase could range anywhere from 4-18%, a hefty rise for many. SWISS noted that those in the lower salary bands will see the greatest increase, but even those with more experience will benefit from the latest collective labor agreement, CLA23. However, the deal also includes some key non-monetary changes to improve the crew's social living and education.

CLA23 includes provisions for the early publishing of the monthly rosters, allowing members to plan their lives around the schedule in advance. Additionally, there will be more part-time work models to allow for higher education, such as Study & Fly, that allow more flexibility. In a statement, Reto Schmid, Head of Cabin Crew for SWISS, said,

"After some very tough negotiations, I am all the more delighted that we have reached agreement on a new CLA that delivers significant benefits for all our cabin crew members, in terms of both their remuneration and the plannability of their private lives.”

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Investing in the people

The pay hikes and improvements won't be cheap for the Swiss flag carrier and member of the Lufthansa Group, with the carrier estimating a bill of CHF 100 million ($106.2mn) over the next five years. However, this is an investment in the people working at SWISS, and one that will be crucial as the airline recovers and begins expanding again.

Indeed, the cost of not reaching an agreement with unions is a perilous one. Already, several airlines are bracing for strikes over the holiday season after failing to reach deals in time. This can lead to dozens of canceled flights and tens of thousands of unhappy customers, at the least, and massive losses. Comparatively, the cost of a new agreement seems like a reasonable one.

TAP Air Portugal is one airline that is seeing strikes after failing to reach an agreement with its cabin crew. On Thursday and Friday, the unions will walk out in protest, leaving the travel plans of thousands in jeopardy on a national holiday in Portugal (Thursday). For now, keep an eye out on Simple Flying as airlines race to prevent strike action over the critical winter break.

What do you think about SWISS' latest agreement with its cabin crew? Let us know in the comments!

• 

  SWISS

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  LX/SWR

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Zurich Airport

  Year Founded:

  2002

  Alliance:

  Star Alliance

  Airline Group:

  Lufthansa Group

  CEO:

  Dieter Vranckx

  Country:

  Switzerland