LMV: Despite Violent Riots, Builders Continue Negotiations

Violent actions strongly condemned

At the beginning of the negotiations, the violent actions on construction sites, particularly in Aargau and Basel, within the framework of the strike day called by the unions, were addressed. The SBV strongly condemns these actions. Masked individuals stormed the construction sites, injured employees, and caused significant damage to property. Several companies had to cease their operations for safety reasons. This behavior is irresponsible, dangerous and represents a clear violation of the peace obligation.

The SBV does not accept violence, intimidation, or disruption of orderly construction processes. Masked individuals and unauthorized entry to construction sites are strictly prohibited and must be sanctioned. Responsibility clearly lies with the unions Unia and Syna, which have fuelled the situation with their strike calls and aggressive rhetoric. Union officials and members of the negotiating delegation have even been seen standing shoulder to shoulder with masked individuals, a clear indication of the escalation of their campaign. The association forcefully demands that the peace obligation be strictly adhered to and more bindingly regulated in the new LMV. The conventional penalty is to be paid upon first demand and no longer to be contested in court in the new contract.

Technical details were discussed in-depth on the basis of the overall view

During the sixth round of negotiations, individual topics were discussed with consideration of various dependencies. Feedback from the unions on technical details was incorporated into the new contract draft and treated as an overall perspective. Connections were recognized and new opportunities opened up. For example, the combination of the travel time issue with the less and overtime account with clearly defined upper and lower limits was discussed. In this regard, the possibility of an individual long-term account is also considered. This would allow overtime to be accumulated for private projects over a longer period, thereby creating more room for balancing work and family life. An important part of resolving paid travel time from the first minute is to find a simple solution for locally operating companies without excessive administrative burden. Minimum wages should automatically be adjusted to inflation. At the same time, employees and employers should have more leeway to increase effective wages individually based on performance.

The presented comprehensive view, combined with a staggered introduction and a longer contract duration, now serves as an approach for finding a solution.

Agreement reached on individual points

In other important points, a solution has already been found. The parties have agreed that within the framework of the new contract, the French diplomas CAP will be classified as wage class A and BAC Pro for wage step Q in Switzerland. The legally required protection against dismissal for union officials will be explicitly mentioned and emphasized in the new LMV.

For the builders, it is important to find a good overall solution for the construction industry. It has been agreed with the unions to schedule an extended round of negotiations into the night in the coming days. Specifically, the SBV has offered the unions to conduct this crucial negotiation on Friday; however, the unions want to stick to their protest day and continue negotiations next Monday. In any case, technical meetings will take place in advance of the next round of negotiations to clarify individual points.

Press contact:

Contact for further information:

Jacqueline Theiler, Head of Communication for SBV Tel. 058 360 76 42, Email: jacqueline.theiler@baumeister.ch

Matthias Engel, Media Spokesperson for SBV Tel. 058 360 76 35, Email: matthias.engel@baumeister.ch

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