New CLA for the watchmaking and microtechnology industry
Published: Friday, May 3rd 2024, 12:31
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The trade union Unia and the employers' association of the Swiss watch industry signed a new collective labor agreement in Neuchâtel on Friday. It affects almost 55,000 employees in over 500 watchmaking and microtechnology companies and comes into force on July 1.
The CLA ensures absolute labor peace in the industrial sector until the end of 2029, as announced by the social partners. This prohibits industrial action such as strikes by employees or lockouts by employers.
Both Unia and the employers' association described the negotiating climate as fair. The modern text represents a balanced compromise between social progress and the competitiveness of companies, they said.
The new CLA extends maternity leave from 17 to 19 weeks, for example. The employer's contribution to health insurance premiums will rise to CHF 195 from 2025 and the AHV bridging pension for early retirement to CHF 30,000.
The CLA, which was valid until the end of June, was extended by two and a half years during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2022, the negotiating partners resumed preliminary work. The negotiations took place in ten plenary sessions and reportedly lasted almost a year. The social partners discussed 28 demands and reached agreement on 15.
The signing took place at the "Du Peyrou" hotel in Neuchâtel, where the first collective labor agreement for the watch industry was signed 87 years ago. The latest edition is the 16th CLA in the industrial sector. The CLA for the watchmaking industry was the first in Swiss social history.
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