On September 3, 2026, the public-sector union Transfair launched a national petition to halt the outsourcing of Swiss Post and Swisscom jobs abroad. The campaign directs its demands straight to the Federal Council and the Swiss parliament.
Transfair Launches National Petition Against Swiss Post and Swisscom Job Outsourcing
Both majority state-owned companies belong fundamentally to the Swiss public. Transfair demands an end to transferring technical specialist roles and infrastructure maintenance functions to foreign locations primarily for cost reduction.
Greta Gysin Criticizes Federal Inaction on Offshoring
Major semi-public infrastructure providers face scrutiny over their labour and operational footprints. Greta Gysin, Transfair’s president and a Green Party parliamentarian, criticized the government’s hands-off approach.
Die Post und Swisscom verlagern Arbeitsplätze und Fachwissen ins Ausland, nur um Kosten zu sparen. Bei sensiblen Aufgaben verliert die Schweiz so die Kontrolle. Der Bund lässt beide Konzerne gewähren, statt klare Vorgaben zu machen,
Gysin stated.
Transfair warns that offshoring critical network and data management roles compromises national security, security of supply, and local professional training paths.
Mapping the Structural Shifts in Lisbon, Latvia, and Beyond
The petition outlines structural shifts by both national service giants across multiple European nations. Swiss Post has transferred 130 information technology positions to Lisbon, Portugal, since 2022.
The company recently decided to pause further expansions of that specific IT hub until the summer of 2027. Meanwhile, Swisscom has expanded its footprint further.
Swisscom has outsourced over 600 positions to Latvia and the Netherlands. It has also opened offices in Kosovo, Poland, and Bulgaria, alongside plans for a new unit in Lisbon.
Corporate Defense and Domestic Headcount Metrics
Despite these international migrations, corporate leadership maintains that domestic commitment remains robust.
Swisscom spokesperson Josef Huber defended the company’s regional strategy: Die Schweiz bleibt klar unser wichtigster Standort: Weit über 90 Prozent der Mitarbeitenden, die für das Schweizer Geschäft arbeiten, sind hier tätig.
Huber added that the Lisbon expansion serves to secure long-term competitiveness while maintaining high standards for compliance and data protection within the corporate group.
Threats to Apprenticeships and Public Safety Standards
Beyond immediate payroll statistics, the Transfair campaign emphasizes the broader socio-economic dangers of stripping technical expertise out of the domestic market.
Swiss Post and Swisscom control vital infrastructure like parcel delivery, payment processing, internet access, and telephone networks. The union argues that retaining local know-how is essential for public safety.
Offshoring specialized tech work diminishes entry-level career opportunities, cutting down available apprenticeships and harming the next generation of Swiss information technology professionals.
Federal Lawmakers Face Definitive Statutory Reckoning
The petition window runs through November 30, 2026. Formal delivery to the federal government is scheduled for December.
The campaign places the burden on federal lawmakers to establish clear statutory safeguards.
These rules would prevent Confederation-owned enterprises from sacrificing domestic jobs and strategic self-reliance for corporate efficiency.
