Cooperation with trade unions

The FMC concludes a national collective labour agreement (L-GAV) with four external social partners covering the period from 2003 to 2006. With the Swiss Bakery and Confectionery Staff Association (Schweizerischen Bäckerei- und Konditorei-Personalverband – SBKPV) as of 26 August 2003 (extraordinarily) and with the Trade Union for Sales, Retail, Transport and Food (Gewerkschaft Verkauf Handel Transport Lebensmittel – VHTL) as of the end of 2004 (ordinarily) due to mergers involving the two unions. This does not affect the L-GAV, which has been in force since 1 January 2003. The contractual relationship with the other two social partners—the Swiss Association of Commercial Employees and the Swiss Butchers' Staff Association (MPV)—is to continue unchanged until 2006. On 26 September, Migros and Syna sign an accession agreement to the L-GAV. Syna was founded in 1998 as the first inter-occupational trade union and has around 65,000 members.