100 years of Suva
Switzerland's first major social welfare organization celebrates its 100th birthday on April 1, 2018. The social partnership that Suva has embodied since its founding has saved employees from social misery and protected employers after an accident, then as now.
100 years ago, Europe was in the midst of World War I and Switzerland was on the verge of a nationwide general strike. In this explosive socio-political environment, something substantial was created in Switzerland: employers, employees and the federal government jointly created the Suva accident insurance fund. On April 1, 1918, it began operations in Lucerne. "With this, something was achieved that has endured to this day," said Gabriele Gendotti, President of the Suva Council, at the media conference to mark Suva's 100th anniversary. Then as now, the social partners, together with the federal government, determine Suva's fate and work out viable solutions together.
Compromises instead of maximum requirements
100 years of social partnership and the improvements in occupational safety that have been achieved as a result were the focus of Suva's anniversary event at the railroad company BLS. The social partners also justified Suva's current success with the equal composition of the Suva Council with 16 employer and employee representatives each and 8 representatives of the Confederation. Kurt Gfeller, Vice President of the Suva Council and Vice Director of the Swiss Trade Association, and Nico Lutz, member of the Suva Council Committee and member of the management of the Unia trade union, often do not have the same hay in everyday political life. But on the Suva Council, the two work together as bridge builders between employers and employees. "Everyone is aware that maximum demands do not lead to the goal at an insurance company like Suva. Compromises and concessions get us a lot further," said Kurt Gfeller.
Those affected become participants
The two Suva councillors also agreed that occupational safety was in the interests of both representatives, even if there were definitely different positions on implementation. Nevertheless: "Employees have a direct self-interest in comprehensive prevention work, a high level of occupational safety and extended health protection," said Lutz. To this end, he said, Suva has a captivating approach by turning those affected into participants. "Through the participation of the trade unions in numerous Suva expert committees, in the Suva Council and also in the Suva Council Committee, which is similar to the board of directors, the concerns and the views of the employees flow in directly."
The prevention efforts in occupational safety ultimately also served to protect the company. "As soon as an accident occurs in a business, every company owner is glad to have solid insurance," Gfeller explains. Whereas in the past a serious accident meant ruin for the employee, today - without insurance - it would bankrupt many business owners. After all, in order to cover the costs of a serious accident, it would take the premium contributions of up to 2,500 insured persons.
Together for success
Felix Weber, Chairman of the Executive Board of Suva, showed that the enforcement of occupational safety has not always been easy over the last 100 years. "In contrast to the past, however, the understanding has long since prevailed today that employees as well as employers must bear their responsibility in prevention and occupational safety." As an example, he cited the "Vital Rules" for high-risk occupational groups, which exist for both employers and employees. Likewise, in the rehabilitation and reintegration of accident victims, it is the cooperation of all the parties involved that brings success.
This was the point of departure for Peter Fankhauser, member of the management board of BLS. On behalf of the 128,000 companies insured with Suva today, he showed where the challenges in occupational safety lie today, and what responsibility the companies and in particular the managers have in this regard. BLS, which has been insured with Suva for 100 years, is currently renovating and modernizing its railroad workshop in Spiez. In the process, it attaches great importance to safe workplace design.
Financially healthy
Since the mid-1980s, Suva has recorded more leisure-time accidents than occupational accidents. CEO Felix Weber is convinced: "No matter how society develops, we will need protection. Suva has done this successfully over the past 100 years." Today, he says, the company stands on healthy legs. Responsible for this, he said, is the model and foundation Suva was given when it was founded. "And it owes it to all the employees, associations and unions, as well as companies, whose efforts and innovations have made the world of work and leisure safer."
Press release Suva
On the website suva.ch/100years the history of Suva is presented on the website. In addition, Suva continuously supplements the website with current news about the anniversary year.
