Swissmechanic remains in the trade association
On Saturday, November 9, Swissmechanic celebrated its 80th birthday at its delegates' meeting. The focus was on replacement elections, the decision to remain in the Swiss Trade Association and the decision to support the indirect counter-proposal to the Fair Price Initiative.
The anniversary delegates' meeting of Swissmechanic, the leading employer association of SMEs in the MEM sector, was held in Lucerne. Government Councillor Reto Wyss delivered a word of greeting from the Lucerne government to the 85 delegates. In the past 80 years, the jubilarian has developed from a small training association to a recognized and strong employers' association, which enables up-to-date training and further education of future skilled workers and makes the concerns of the SMEs in the MEM sector heard.
Swissmechanic supports indirect counter-proposal to the Fair Price Initiative
The delegates followed the proposal of the Board and decided to continue to support the indirect counter-proposal to the Fair Price Initiative with a financial contribution. This is because the indirect counter-proposal of the National Council's Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-N) adopts the concerns of the popular initiative with the exception of the ban on geoblocking.
Swissmechanic remains in the SGV
The proposal of the Executive Board and the Association Council that Swissmechanic should remain a member of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV) was approved. The bodies had come to the conclusion that it made sense for Swissmechanic to be represented in a larger association. In the run-up to the vote, they had closely scrutinized the SGV to ascertain whether it was sufficiently committed to the concerns of the association and the export industries.
Climate protection without corsets
In his speech, President Roland Goethe commented on the results of the federal elections with the landslide victory of the Green and Left parties. Goethe fears that the general conditions for Switzerland as a place to work will become massively more difficult. Despite the gloomy political outlook, however, it is not the way of Swissmechanic member companies to bury their heads in the sand. Swissmechanic sees the green wave as a challenge and is ready to contribute its knowledge and experience from the lived working world with new, innovative products and thus make a substantial contribution to climate protection. All this without prohibitions and without nonsensical corsets.
Elections of replacements, accounts and budget
Following the resignation of François Schoch, Hansruedi Graf, Ueli Meyer and Xavier de Preux were elected to the new eight-member board of Swissmechanic. Kurt Graber was confirmed as President of the St. Gallen/Appenzell Section and Johnny Föhn as President of the Schwyz Section in the Association Council. Silvio Bertini is a new member of the Economic Commission and Franz Marty a member of the Business Audit Commission. The annual financial statement 2018 as well as the budget for 2020, which foresees an annual profit of 38,000 Swiss francs, were approved.
Appreciation for polymechanic ambassadors
On the eve of the delegates' meeting, Swissmechanic honored three professional athletes who performed outstandingly at the WorldSkills in Kazan, Russia, in August. Lukas Muth (silver medal in the CNC turning discipline), Markus Hintermann (diploma in the CNC milling discipline) and Thomas Schranz (certificate in the automation discipline). Association President Roland Goethe and Director Jürg Marti congratulated the young professionals on their great success and at the same time thanked them for the immense effort they had put in before and during the WorldSkills. The three athletes received success awards totaling CHF 4500.
