Swiss Air's Cost-Cutting Plan: Hiring Indian Crew for Montreal Draws Criticism
Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) is contemplating a cost-cutting measure that has drawn criticism. The airline is considering hiring Indian cabin crews for its Montreal operations, offering them salaries ranging from CHF580 to CHF950 per month.
The move has been slammed by the Swiss cabin crew union, Kapers, as a 'classic example of wage dumping'. Kapers argues that these Indian crew members, while doing the same work, will earn significantly less than their Swiss counterparts, whose starting salary is over CHF3,800. Currently, wages for Indian cabin crew vary between 65,000 and 106,000 rupees, equivalent to the proposed Swiss salary range.
Swiss justifies this practice on linguistic and cultural grounds, and it is regulated by the collective agreement with Kapers. However, Kapers has vowed to negotiate better working conditions for these Indian crew members by the end of the year. This is not the first time Swiss has employed international cabin crew; it already has around 230 such members in India, Thailand, China, and Japan, who earn less than their Swiss colleagues.
No final decision has been made regarding the hiring of Indian cabin crews for Montreal. The proposed salaries, while competitive in India, are significantly lower than those in Switzerland, raising concerns about fair compensation and working conditions. Kapers' intervention aims to ensure these crew members are treated fairly, and negotiations are planned before the end of the year.
