Association of Swiss Employees' Associations

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The Union of Swiss Employees' Associations ( VSA ) was an umbrella organization for employees in Switzerland. In 2002 the VSA merged with the Christian National Trade Union Confederation of Switzerland to form the new umbrella organization Travail.Suisse with around 170,000 members.

history

Forerunners of the VSA were the associations of young merchants of the 1860s, which organized further training courses for apprentices and young employees and merged in the Swiss Commercial Association (SKV) in 1873 , the graduates of the Polytechnic (ETH) from 1869 and those of the technical colleges from 1884 and the Werkmeisterverband founded in 1893 (Swiss management organization, since 1988). The salaried employees' organizations differed from the trade unions in the variety of types of associations caused by vocational training and the structure of the sector.

“The living conditions of workers and employees were very bad at the end of the First World War. A few months before the mobilization on August 1, 1914, many employees had received notice from their employers. Some were later re-employed, but at reduced wages. Nothing had been made for the social and legal consequences of the numerous operational restrictions. There was no legal military protection that would have deserved this name. "

- Alfred Hubschmid : History of the VSA 1918–1993

At the impulse of the professional organization Technische Gesellschaft Baden , representatives of all employee associations met. At the suggestion of the Swiss Commercial Association, the merger of the associations was discussed in Baden on September 23, 1917 . On April 20, 1918, delegates from 15 associations discussed the procedure. At a second meeting of delegates on July 4, 1918 in Zurich , the delegates decided to constitute the VSA. The following were represented at this historic gathering: The Swiss Commercial Association, the Association of Employees in the Hospitality Industry ( Union Helvetia ), the Swiss Association of foremen, the Swiss Association of Technicians, the Technical Society of Baden and the Employees' Association of Trüb, Täuber & Co. in Hombrechtikon . Together they represented 30,257 employees.

With the establishment of the VSA, the employee organizations distanced themselves from the radicalizing labor movement. Within the VSA, the SKV provided more than half of the members. The VSA was organized on a federal basis and was based on the principles of Swiss democracy.

“Because of the growing shortage of goods, some producers and traders abused their strong market position. There was no occupational health and safety for employees; the Factory Act of 1877, revised in 1914, only applied to factory workers. Only a small proportion of employees enjoyed short vacations. The protection in the event of illness and accident showed large gaps. There was no unemployment insurance, any more than old-age, survivors' and disability benefits. There were no meaningful collective agreements between the social partners. "

- Alfred Hubschmid : History of the VSA 1918–1993

On December 11, 1918, with the participation of the VSA, the first nationwide collective labor agreement for employees was concluded with the Bern Agreement .

In 1919 the Swiss Association of Bank Employees and the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations in the Machine Industry and Related Industries VSAM and the Federation of Technical Employees of Switzerland joined the VSA. In 1920 the Swiss Construction Management Association joined, in 1925 the Swiss Association of Commercial Travelers Hermes , in 1929 the Swiss Music Association and in 1930 the Association of Swiss Surveying Technicians.

The first decades after the founding were marked by internal tensions, because the smaller employee organizations demanded a merger on a union basis, while the larger associations wanted to pursue an independent professional policy. This led to various withdrawals.

On October 28, 1932, the National Action Group (later called National Workers' Association NAG) was founded. The VSA, the Swiss teachers' association, the central association of civil servants and employees as well as Christian and Protestant unions were there.

In 1940 the organizations united in the VSA had more than 60,000 members.

In 1944 the Swiss Association of Employed Druggists Droga Helvetica joined the VSA. In 1959 the Swiss Association of Business Experts was added. In 1965, the VSA opened up to associations of civil servants and civil servants. In the same year, the Swiss Association of Insurance Inspectors and Agents, the Swiss Laboratory Staff Association and the Employees' Association of the Swiss Book Trade joined.

With the exception of Union Helvetia, the member associations of the VSA were not industry organizations, but were organized according to the professional principle.

The highest membership base was reached in 1985 with 148,734 members.

In 1997 the VSA had nine affiliated associations with more than 120,000 members.

Purpose and activities of the association

The cantonal, regional and local associations affiliated to the VSA took care of the concerns of their sector or their region. They commented on all important questions concerning their members in the following areas: economic policy, labor market, working conditions, social and financial policy and protection of consumers and the environment.

The VSA worked together with the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) on the basis of the 1928 delimitation agreement.

In 1932, on the initiative of the VSA, the National Action Group for Economic Defense (NAG) was founded as a cartel-like combination of workers' organizations outside the SGB. In addition to the VSA, it also included the CNG, the Swiss Association of Protestant Workers ( SVEA), the Central Association of State and Municipal Staff in Switzerland , the Swiss Teachers' Association and the Swiss Association of Insurance Staff Associations . In 1935 the NAG got involved in the voting campaign for the crisis initiative together with the SGB, the federative association of the staff of public companies and administrations and the dissident farmers' homeland movement .

Members

  • Swiss Commercial Association (SKV), 1918–2000
  • Swiss Association of Craftsmen, from 1918
  • Union Helvetia, from 1918
  • Swiss Association of Technicians, 1918–1922
  • Association of Swiss Employees' Associations of the Machine Industry (VSAM) (new: Employees Switzerland ), 1918–1935 (resigned due to the cooperation between VSA and SGB in the crisis initiative), re-entry in 1959
  • Swiss Bank Employees Association, 1918–1942
  • Swiss cadre organization, from 1918
  • Swiss Construction Management Association, 1920–1990
  • Swiss Association of Commercial Travelers, 1925–1980
  • Swiss Musicians Association, from 1929
  • Association of Swiss Surveying Technicians, from 1930
  • Droga Helvetica, from 1944
  • Swiss Association of Business Experts, 1959–1969
  • Employees' Association of the Swiss Book Trade, 1965–1984
  • Swiss Association of Insurance Inspectors and Agents, from 1965
  • Swiss Laboratory Staff Association, from 1965

literature

  • Robert Fluder et al. a .: Trade unions and employee associations in the Swiss private sector. Zurich.
  • Mario König et al .: Waiting and moving up. 1985.
  • Robert Fluder: Interest organizations and collective labor relations in the public service in Switzerland. 1996.
  • Mario König : The employees alongside the labor movement. In: Social history and the labor movement. ed. by B. Studer / F. Valloton, 1997.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. sl 1993, p. 2.
  2. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. s. l. 1993, pp. 3 and 4.
  3. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. sl 1993, p. 2.
  4. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. s. l. 1993, p. 6.
  5. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. s. l. 1993, p. 44.
  6. ^ Alfred Hubschmid: History of the Association of Swiss Employees' Associations VSA 1918-1993. In: 75 years of employee policy. s. l. 1993, p. 44.
  7. ^ [1] Swiss Social Archives: VSA.