The Swiss Trade Union Federation (, SGB; ; , USS) is the largest national trade union center in Switzerland.
History The federation was founded in 1880. The SGB has close ties with the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SPS). Ruth Dreifuss, the former President of the Confederation, and former member of the Swiss Federal Council, was previously an SGB official.
Affiliates Current affiliates The following unions are affiliated to the SGB:
Union Abbreviation Founded Membership (2023) AvenirSocial AvenirSocial 2005 3,785 Federal Staff Association PVB 1912 7,378 Garanto Garanto 2001 2,614 Kapers Kapers 1971 2,842 Nautilus International Nautilus 2011 530 New Wood New Wood 1998 23 Swiss Bank Employees' Union SBPV 1918 5,691 Swiss Musicians' Union SMV 1914 1,687 Swiss Music Pedagogic Association SMPV 1893 2,476 Swiss Union of Mass Media SSM 1974 2,666 Swiss Union of Public Service Personnel VPOD 1905 32,037 Syndicom Syndicom 2010 29,034 Unia Unia 2004 174,540 Union of Transport Workers SEV 1919 36,916
Former affiliates Union Abbreviation Founded Left Reason not affiliated Membership (1954) Membership (2001) Association of Swiss Air Traffic Control Personnel VSFP 1988 1999 Merged into GEKO N/A N/A Comedia Comedia 1998 2010 Merged into Syndicom N/A 16,597 Staff Association of the Embroidery Industry 1944 Merged into GTCP N/A N/A Swiss Bookbinders' and Carton Makers' Union SBKV 1889 1980 Merged into GDP 4,465 N/A Swiss Choir and Ballet Union N/A N/A Swiss Clothing and Leather Workers' Union 1891 1930 Disaffiliated N/A N/A Swiss Clothing, Leather and Equipment Workers' Union VBLA 1930 1992 Merged into SMUV 8,248 N/A Swiss Customs Employees' Union VSZP 1906 2001 Merged into Garanto 3,464 N/A Swiss Dental Technicians' Union 1918 N/A N/A Swiss Hat and Cap Workers' Union SHMV 1904 1947 Merged into VBLA N/A N/A Swiss Lithographers' Union SLB 1888 1998 Merged into Comedia 3,059 N/A Swiss Metalworkers' and Watchmakers' Union SMUV 1915 2004 Merged into Unia 115,944 89,907 Swiss Professional Association of Social Work SBS 1946 2005 Merged into AvenirSocial N/A N/A Swiss Textile Homeworkers' Union 1914 1948 Merged into GTCP N/A N/A Swiss Typographers' Union STB 1858 1980 Merged into GDP 10,560 N/A Swiss Union of Silk Bolting Cloth Mill Workers SVSW 1890 2008 Dissolved 596 256Swiss Women Workers' UnionSAV18901917Dissolved2,250 (1917) Union Movement for Labour and Justice GEWAG 2005 Dissolved N/A 521 Union of Commerce, Transport and Food VHTL 1915 2004 Merged into Unia 39,750 16,329 Union of Communication GEKO 1998 2010 Merged into Syndicom N/A 38,375 Union of Construction and Industry GBI 1993 2004 Merged into Unia N/A 91,276 Union of Construction and Wood GBH 1922 1993 Merged into GBI 71,813 N/A Union of Paper and Graphic Assistants of Switzerland 1903 1934 N/A N/A Union of Printing and Paper GDP 1980 1998 Merged into Comedia N/A N/A Union of Swiss Postal Employees VSPB 1893 1998 Merged into GEKO 5,501 N/A Union of Swiss Postal, Telegraph and Telephone Personnel PTT-Union 1891 1998 Merged into GEKO 16,191 N/A Union of Swiss Telegraph and Telephone Supervisors VSTTB 1874 1998 Merged into GEKO 2,528 N/A Union of Textiles, Chemicals and Paper GTCP 1908 1993 Merged into GBI 26,532 N/A
Presidents Since 1884, the SGB has had the following 27 presidents, one of which was a woman: 1884: Ludwig Witt 1886: Johann Kappes 1886: Ludwig Witt 1888: Albert Spiess 1888: Georg Preiss 1890: Rudolf Morf 1891: Conrad Conzett 1893: Eduard Hungerbühler 1894: Eduard Keel 1896: Lienhard Boksberger 1898: Alois Kessler 1900: Heinrich Schnetzler 1902: Niklaus Bill 1903: Karl Zingg 1909: Emile Ryser 1912: Oskar Schneeberger 1934: Robert Bratschi 1954: Arthur Steiner 1958: Hermann Leuenberger 1969: Ernst Wüthrich 1973: Ezio Canonica 1978: Richard Müller 1982: Fritz Reimann 1990: Walter Renschler 1994: Christiane Brunner and Vasco Pedrina 1998: Paul Rechsteiner 2019: Pierre-Yves Maillard
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