SWISS & Air Canada Eye Cost Cuts With Indian Cabin Crew Hires
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and Air Canada are exploring cost-saving measures by hiring Indian cabin crew. The practice, criticized as 'wage dumping' by unions, involves employing staff from India at lower salaries than Swiss colleagues.
SWISS and Air Canada aim to reduce costs by hiring Indian cabin crew for operations in Montreal. The Canadian airline has announced plans to recruit Indian flight attendants, offering monthly salaries starting around CAD 2,500 (approximately CHF1,600).
This move follows a similar trend by Lufthansa, which already employs around 230 international cabin crew members in India, Thailand, China, and Japan. These crew members earn significantly less than their Swiss counterparts, with wages ranging from CHF580 to CHF950 per month. In comparison, starting salaries for Swiss cabin crew are over CHF3,800 per month.
The practice has been criticized by unions like Kapers, which sees it as a 'classic example of wage dumping'. The union plans to negotiate better working conditions with the company by the end of the year. The carrier justifies the practice, stating it is regulated by the collective agreement with the union and necessary for linguistic and cultural reasons on certain routes.
SWISS and Air Canada are considering hiring Indian cabin crew for Montreal to reduce costs. While the practice is regulated and justified by the companies, it has sparked criticism from unions. The outcome of negotiations between Kapers and the companies will determine the future of this cost-saving measure.
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