Swiss Delivers – Lufthansa Must Follow
SEV-GATA is concerned to see Swiss being placed increasingly under Lufthansa’s control. In particular, the appointment of two Lufthansa managers to the airline’s now two-member Board of Directors in early June 2026 sends a deeply concerning signal. Swiss owes its identity and strength to its roots in Switzerland – this Swiss identity must not be gradually eroded.
Equally concerning is the silence of the Swiss Aviation Foundation. Following the public rescue of Swiss, the successor organisation, the Swiss Aviation Foundation (SLS), was given the clear mandate of safeguarding Swiss interests. At a time when Swiss’s independence is coming under increasing pressure, a visible public stance would be more than appropriate.
The new 2027 Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) for Swiss ground staff demonstrates that determined trade union action can achieve tangible improvements. At the same time, however, Lufthansa is indirectly imposing a cost-cutting programme on Swiss that includes the reduction of around ten per cent of full-time positions in administration. For SEV-GATA, this contradiction is unacceptable: record financial results on the one hand, job cuts and growing pressure on employees on the other.
“It cannot be right for the employees of the highly profitable Swiss to pay the price for the problems of the Lufthansa Group,” emphasises Philipp Hadorn, President of SEV-GATA and former member of the Swiss National Council, who has campaigned politically for the future of Swiss for many years. “With the upcoming salary negotiations and the pending review of job evaluations, we expect genuine appreciation and appropriate remuneration for the employees who make such a significant contribution to the company’s success.”
Hadorn also addresses a clear message to the Lufthansa Group: “If Frankfurt believes that strong trade unions can simply be kept at arm’s length in Switzerland, it is seriously mistaken. SEV-GATA will vigorously defend the legitimate interests of its members. If necessary, we will escalate matters step by step – always with the aim of securing fair working conditions and ensuring that employees are treated with the respect they deserve.”
For SEV-GATA, the situation is clear: Swiss does not need further centralisation or an imposed programme of austerity. It needs the freedom to make its own business decisions, a strong Swiss identity and employees who receive a fair share of the success they help to create.