The fact is that the non-EU pilots were not informed of the consequences, when their unlimited working contracts were changed by Swiss (the airline) into limited ones.
It meant, for non-EU pilots, that by the time their working contract were not renewed, their working and residence permits would be csancelled by the state. They would have to leave the country without any right for compensation. EU-Pilots are entiteld to unemployment fees and may generally remain in the country depending on their connections there. Non-EU are not.
The legal stand point of Swiss adopted was to say: «Sorry guys, if you have to leave, it because of the State, not because of the company. Get lost».
Thats how Swiss tried to get rid of them without spending a penny.
Eventually, the Swiss Pilots Association (former Crossair pilots) negociated with the direction and obtained them a 50'000 francs compensation. Its better than nothing. But it compares to 85'000 for First Officers and 140'000 for Captains. Most of the fired non-EU pilots were Captains. They get 90'000 less than their colleagues, who did exactly the same job.
Morever, most of them came with their families, some three years ago, when Crossair was desesperatly looking for experienced pilots to hire. Now Swiss wants to deduce their moving costs from their 50'000 allowance. In some cases, it will reduce it by more than 90% (ever moved a whole household and flew five family members from Basel to Pearth?).
Yes, the Swiss (the airline) management did a very, very dirty trick. I don't believe it is Swiss (the country) speciality, but it remains uggly.
