News Philippe Bauer, a lawyer and Swiss National Councillor from Neuchâtel, will take over the presidency of the Employers’ Federation of the Swiss Watchmaking Industry (CP) as of January 1st 2019.
The CP General Assembly unanimously elected him to this position at the beginning of the summer. Philippe Bauer, 56, will succeed Elisabeth Zölch, former State Councillor and former National Councillor of Bern.
The future president of the CP is familiar with the watch industry. For the past twenty years or so, he has been in charge of the General Secretariat of one of the CP’s Member Associations, which brings together watch-hand manufacturers. This knowledge of the sector was one of the factors that led the General Assembly of the CP to choose Philippe Bauer as its future president. In addition, his extensive experience in social partnership and negotiations with trade unions, which he has exercised for many years as legal counsel to several employers’ organisations in the field of restoration and construction finishing, convinced the CP that he was a suitable choice.
Having served as President since August 2007, Elisabeth Zölch had expressed at the end of 2017 the desire to step down from her position. Under her chairmanship, the workforce of the watch industry increased from 41,000 to 47,000 workers and she conducted two collective labour agreement (CLA) negotiations with the unions in 2011 and 2016. The timing of her withdrawal allows for a smooth succession.
Founded in 1937, the CP is the umbrella association of employers in the watch and microtechnology sector. It is responsible for the watchmaking social partnership, including all professional training and occupational health and safety issues, for its 500 member companies. Philippe Bauer will be the sixth president. His predecessors include Neuchâtel’s Jean Cavadini (1994-2007) and Vaudois Claude Bonnard (1978-1993).
October 04, 2018
