Being a transport worker should never be dangerous. On 3 September, the SEV and kapers, ETF’s Swiss affiliates, organise a joint action to send this message, loud and clear.
As the number of physical, verbal and sexual assaults against on-board staff by passengers in public transport and aviation has been rising sharply since the Covid-19 crisis, the ETF alongside the SEV and kapers stress now, more than ever, the need to protect workers from violent behaviours.
Beyond declarations, the trade union movement seeks to deliver tangible solutions to ensure workers’ security, and many exist!
Appropriate staffing and a comprehensive support system for victims of abuse are desperately needed to prevent violence and ensure justice and reparation. Yet, workers in public transport are often faced with unruly passengers alone while they are expected to ensure safety on-board and prevent disruptive behaviours.
This is why SEV, representing workers in public transport, and kapers, for cabin crew members, united their strength to deliver coordinated but distinct actions to advocate for a stronger protection of workers.
Employers need to take responsibility and consistently apply a zero-tolerance policy against violent behaviours of all sorts.
The legal framework must be improved. In Switzerland, cabin crew members are protected by weaker provisions than in other sectors in case of third-party violence. This discrepancy is not acceptable; all workers in public transport deserve strong legal protections. A safe workplace is not a luxury; it is basic decency.
Also, safety at work is linked to healthier and more productive workers. It is in the interest of all to protect workers from antisocial behaviours and to provide them with the needed means to face these situations well-accompanied.
The ETF fully supports the joint action by SEV and kapers: Stop violence! More respect for Staff!
