Swiss Post employees protest August 1st holiday regulations

Thousands of Swiss Post employees are protesting the company's handling of the August 1st national holiday. Because the holiday fell on a Saturday this year, many delivery workers who consider Saturday a standard working day received no compensatory time credit despite having the day off.

The labor union Syndicom reports that between 3,000 and 6,000 employees are affected by this regulation. In response, 960 workers signed an open letter to Post CEO Pascal Grieder, demanding that the company review its policy, retroactively credit the working hours, and ensure the issue does not recur.

Swiss Post has defended its position, stating that it adheres to the existing collective labor agreement. The company maintains that for employees on a five-day week, a holiday falling on a Saturday is considered taken, even if they occasionally work Saturdays. The company argued the system is fair because employees benefit when holidays fall on weekdays they do not typically work.