15.40 francs per hour: These are the dumping wages at Smood
15.40 francs: This is the miserable hourly wage that the couriers at Smood actually receive. The massive wage dumping at Smood and its temporary company Simple Pay violates the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement for the hospitality industry (L-GAV), the GAV staff leasing and the minimum wages in Geneva and Neuchâtel.
According to a cautious estimate by Unia, the effective hourly wages at Smood are around CHF 15.40 today. Such wages violate cantonal minimum wages (GE, NE), the collective employment contract for staff leasing and that of the hospitality industry.
15.40 francs – a conservative estimate
The estimated hourly wage is based on a careful calculation from Unia:
- Today, Smood pays an hourly wage of 19 francs plus 2 francs in expenses per hour – a total of 21 francs.
- However, the actual expenses are significantly higher; but are largely borne by the employees themselves. On average, the couriers travel 8 kilometers per hour by car. Based on the TCS compensation tariff for the use of private vehicles (0.70 francs per kilometer for petrol, maintenance and insurance), so the effective allowance for expenses should be not just 2, but 5.60 francs per hour.
- This means that the couriers have a fee of 15.40 francs per hour from their original wages.
This estimate does not mean that many working hours (such as the waiting time during which the couriers are available) are not compensated at all with Smood. In addition, there are inadmissible penalties for wages.
A long list of grievances
At the media conference in Geneva, the other Smood employees left no doubt that irregularities in the “Smood system” are also widespread.
Ramzi, a courier from Vevey
“In September, for example, I worked eight hours a day, on the weekend 11 hours, in order to end up earning 3,300 francs net”.
Sandie, courier in Neuchâtel
“The system does not allow us to see our time and attendance records and thus control our overtime. If an order arrives one minute before the end of the shift, when do we have to take it; we are sanctioned with 20 francs or a warning. “
Luis, courier from Valais
“To this day I am forced to use my private car and mobile phone, as well as wash my backpack and uniforms in my free time. All at your own expense. According to my own calculations, I end up with CHF 14.70 per hour. It is very frustrating to find that I have such a large stake bar for a company that is cheating on its employees. People say to themselves: if I work more, I also earn more. But often the opposite happens. That burdens me enormously. “
The strike is having an effect
On November 15, Smood finally broke his silence and publicly communicated his intention to take a step on the strikers. It is a first sign and a direct consequence of the ongoing strike.
Only: So far, they have been declarations of intent without guarantees that have not been the subject of negotiations or talks. Smood still refuses any dialogue.
Geneva couriers join the strike
At the same time, on November 16, the couriers from Smood in Geneva went on strike. Geneva, where Smood is based, is the eighth city where the couriers are on strike. They join the strikes of their colleagues:
- Yverdon (as of November 2nd)
- Neuchâtel (as of November 4th)
- Nyon (as of November 8th)
- Sion and Martigny (as of November 10th)
- Lausanne (as of November 11)
- Freiburg (as of November 15)