Question juridique clé
Whether the company and employee representatives could validly maintain a 41-hour weekly work schedule beyond 24 months without involving the contractual parties under the CBA.
Solution extraite
No. The CBA required the contractual parties to be involved once the deviation lasted or was to last more than 24 months; the internal oral agreement and work-time regulation were therefore invalid as a basis for the permanent 41-hour week.
Motifs extraits
Art. 57.4 CBA was a special rule governing deviations from the normal working time in Art. 12 CBA. Art. 10.2 CBA did not allow the employer and employee representation to bypass the procedure for longer deviations. The employer did not notify Swissmem or obtain the required approval.