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MitgliedschaftenAngestellte Schweizarb: Angestellten Vereinigung Region BaselStarke Region Basel

RedaktionsteamHenriette Brunner, Ruedi Haas, Daniel Linder, Roland Hirt,Davide Lauditi, Sabine Zeller, Susanne Hänni

KontaktadresseNovartis International AGHenriette BrunnerPostfach, 4002 BaselTelefon 061 324 43 43E-Mail [email protected] www.nav.ch

NAV GeschäftsstelleWRO-1225.P, Postfach, 4002 BaselTelefon 061 697 39 00Telefax 061 697 76 73E-Mail [email protected]

Offizielle AdresseNovartis AngestelltenverbandMattenstrasse 51, Postfach, 4002 Basel

info erscheint vierteljährlichLaufende Nr.: 51/2010Auflage: 3200 Expl.

Redaktionsschluss info 4/201029. Oktober 2010

Versand info 4/20107. Dezember 2010

ÜbersetzungenInter-Translations SA, Pavillonweg 4, 3001 BernCLS Communications AG, Elisabethenanlage 11, 4051 Basel

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Inhalt

EditorialNetworks 5

Social partnership at NovartisPF-Plan changeover: Reactions of the NAV members – Response of the NAV 34

Family income supplements and Reka checks don’t grow on trees 36

WIN: women into industry 38

NAV, working for youThe NAV farewells Kathrin Amacker 41

Christmas Sales 2010 42

The Industrial Courts of Arbitration, Basel 43

Members recruit members 44

Sights worth seeing in Basel, the Regio and Interregio16th contribution: Hausen, Germany and Johann Peter Hebel 45

Networks are crucial both in the world of technologyas a combination of different, independent electron-ic systems and in an economic and social collabora-tion. A strong and stable network can assist the

exchange of important information and help to achieve orders.However, networks also have to be maintained. Organizations and associations usually operate their own net-

works within a small circle but, when required to expand andbecome bigger and stronger to meet specific user needs, theyare prepared to join larger network structures. These demandsynchronization and promote innovation (strategic networks,innovation and regional networks). In many areas of our society, networking is a long-established

practice because the term social network signifies “social inter-action” and better individual opportunities in life. An extensivepersonal and business network supports personal developmentand can play a decisive role in career development.

For many years, NAV has been operating a well-functioning network which benefitsnot only the NAV executive committee but also, and above all, the members. Throughour affiliation with the umbrella organization, “Angestellte Schweiz”, which in turnnetworks at a national level, we can, for example, influence legislative proposals.Various associations in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry also hold regularbranch conferences to guarantee a good exchange of information and cultivate“bench marking” in the sphere of social partnerships with comparable industries. TheNAV has been steadily expanding its network over several years. For some time, NAVcultivated a partnership with the Innovations-Center Innocel in Lörrach and with theBusiness Parc in Reinach, which helps young people on the road to independence.Today, NAV is investing a lot of energy in cross-border issues and, together with theemployees’ association of Hoffmann-LaRoche, is giving financial support to a test caseconcerning the “tax problems facing German employees who cross the border intoSwitzerland”. Thanks to membership of the ARB (Employees’ Association, Basel region),NAV also has a representative in the industrial courts of arbitration in Basel (see page 43). Novartis also has a well-established women’s network which tackles important issues

on a continuous basis. Novartis AG itself does a great deal for education and research in north west

Switzerland. A few years ago it funded the acquisition of a property for the Universityof Basel which currently houses the Institute for System Biology. Ten years ago, theDiversity & Inclusion department initiated the mentoring program “Women into indus-try” (WIN) in which female academics at Novartis mentor female students at theUniversity of Basel (see also page 38). Whether in associations, the economy, politics or private life, networks large and

small are vital for progress and they are certainly indispensable for growth.

Your NAV ChairpersonHenriette Brunner

Networks

5info September 2010

Editorial

increases could even have beenreversed.

– We obtained legal opinions on whether one can force the employer tostick with an existing plan by blockingor rejecting negotiations for an un -limited period. Our research clearlyshowed that this approach would befruitless. In addition, all the experts inthis area advised us against such astrategy.

It would be simply naïve to believe thatthe company would be ready again in thefuture to invest such large amounts in thepension fund as in 2008 in order to avoidunderfunding. Even the current coverageratio of 120% is not a big enough cush-ion to be able to survive even a fewmonths in good shape in periods ofmarket turbulence and given the highnumber of retirees.

Conclusion The claim that no change would havebeen necessary 1. just glosses over the facts;2. ignores the facts of demographic growth, stock market developmentsand employer obligations, which arehard to calculate, as well as the threatof contribution increases;

3. is an attempt to wait out the problem, and this would eventually have had anadverse effect on all employees.

The NAV representatives have taken theirmandate and their responsibility astrustees seriously. Factional interests werepushed into the background – in contrastto other representatives who were con-structively involved in developing the newpension fund plan but ultimately rejectedthe change for reasons of party strategy.

Elimination of subsidization of earlyretirement by the companyFor each early retirement, the pensionfund bore the resulting retirement loss.

info September 201034

NAV feels it is important toexplain again some of thereservations expressed and toshow clearly what the conse-

quences would have been, theoretically,of staying with the current defined bene-fit plan. It would be naïve to believe thatthe defined benefit plan could have beenmaintained over the long term withoutmajor adjustments. The company had signaled clearly that it wanted to initiatea definitive switch because of the high risks and obligations. Rejecting thechange and blocking negotiations wouldnot have been a valid option. This wasab solute ly clear to the employee repre-sentatives from all political camps, even ifour colleagues from UniaPlus are nowsending out different signals for tacticalreasons relating to upcoming elections.

What might annoyed have meant theblocking of negotiations? What would have been the conse-quences and possible alternatives?

– Maintaining the status quo (if main-taining the defined benefit plan hadever really been an option) would haveled to significant increases in bothemployee and employer contributions.In plain English this means that thecontributions would have becomehigher than before in any case.

– It should not have been possible to rule out a reduction in benefits in the old

fund in the extra mandatory pensioncover through a reduction to the legal-ly stipulated minimum.

– The company would have been able to request a change in the pension planagain after a few years. Then the nego -tiations would certainly have begun allover again, under worse conditions.– The company could have estab-lished a second pension fund withminimal benefits for all new employ-ees. This would most likely havemeant that employee representa-tives would not have had muchinfluence on the structure of thefund. Over the medium term, theactive insured individuals remainingin the defined benefit plan couldhave been migrated to this newpension fund by notice of termina-tion pending a change of contract.This would have been tantamountto an “own goal” for everyoneaffected – like shooting ourselves inthe foot.

– By running to different funds in par-allel, the old fund’s recapitalizationsubstrate would have been reducedeven further. At the same time the“longevity risk” of retirees couldhave resulted in underfunding andthus in a greater burden on thedefined benefit fund. In such cases,all active insured individuals wouldhave become liable for recapitali -zation, or extra mandatory pension

Pension fund – change of model

Reactions of NAV members – the NAV positionThe Novartis Executive Committee, the Pension Fund Office, and the NovartisEmployees’ Association (NAV) have informed insured individuals about thechanges that will come into effect on January 1, 2011. In response, NAV hasreceived a wide range of opinions, including annoyed reactions. They relate primarily to the high contribution amounts, the strict age limit of 55 (abovethis limit insured individuals will remain covered by the defined benefit plan),and the elimination of company subsidization of early retirement. There werealso some insured members who expressed a positive opinion about themodel switch and basically welcome it.

Social partnership at Novartis


ConclusionTrying to convince insured individuals that we can keep the status quo is ridiculousand misleading and is like a ticking time bomb that has not been defused. It isbeing done under false pretenses, since the sole purpose is to raise the profile offactional interests.It is easy to force a political opponent to a thankless decision and then profit

from it in the form of election propaganda. NAV is able to make difficult decisions,whereas others only hide behind them.The tone of these lines may seem somewhat unusual and surprising to some

members. However, we think a clear formulation is appropriate here due to somevery emphatic votes and responses from members. This statement is intended toshow that NAV is taking its responsibility very seriously and is representing its mem-bers’ interests – both current and future interests – to the best of its knowledgeand belief. We know that our members have the critical skills and competence necessary to

be able to differentiate between facts and desires. We will continue to rely on yoursupport and thank you for placing your trust in us.

Positive aspectsSome of you are perhaps astonished atthe level of compensation payments.This is also the result of intensiveand tough negotiations, since theanticipated interest rate has anenormous effect on theamount of this investment.

Unlike other pension fundsand changes in plan models,all problems in the case ofthe Novartis pension fundhave been handled unam-biguously and eliminatedover the long term. Thereis a very high probabilitythat the fund’s returntargets can be reachedand that our pensionfund can therefore be

managed with minimal risk.In spite of the recent rejection of a

reduction in the conversion rate in theoccupational pension fund (BVG), it isaccepted in expert circles that pillar II hasto be reformed if it is to survive over thelong term. For the Novartis pension fundwe are now expecting smooth sailing forquite some time.

NAV Pension Fund Trustees andSubstitute Trustees

The company was no longer at all willingto continue to subsidize early retirementsover the long term.In the previous system, each early

retirement was cofinanced by all insuredindividuals jointly and severally, includingyounger employees and those with lowsalaries. The creation of a parity-based savings

plan (financed by equal contributionsfrom employer and employee), whichnow makes it possible to take early retire-ment at 62 under the same conditions asbefore, is the result of extensive negotia-tions by the employee representativesand represents a pension fund featurethat is not to be found at other compa-nies.

Strict age limit for separationChanges of this type, such as legalchanges, always take effect on a specificdate, and that is also true in this case.Unfortuna tely, this also could not beavoided when changing the plan. Wefought vehemently for as low an age limitas possible. The initial proposals werequite different.

Higher contributionsIn the previous plan we had constantnon-age-dependent contributions, butthis also meant cross-subsidization fromyounger to older individuals. The contribution level in the new pen-

sion fund is similar to the age-dependentsliding BVG scale and is in line with actu-arial requirements.


In this article we will explain what isrequired by law and what is withinthe company’s discretion as well aswhich agreements the social part-

ners made years ago that – in our opinion– must continue to be implemented.

Family allowance under federal lawThe new Family Allowance Act (FamZG)has been in effect since January 1, 2009.Under the new law, the following allow -ances are paid every month in all cantons:Child allowance: a minimum of CHF200.– per child until age 16 or, for childrenwho are unable to work, until age 20.Education allowance: a minimum of CHF250.– per child from age 16 to 25.Higher benefits are paid in many can-

tons. The precise amounts are given atthe web site of the Federal Social In -

surance Office (BSV): www.bsv.admin.ch.There you will also find sections such as“Legal Bases” and “Frequently AskedQues tions,” etc. Additional information isalso provided by the cantonal compensa-tion offices (Aus gleichs kassen). The

addresses are given on the last pages oftelephone books (example: Vol. No. 11Basel-Land schaft, page 822, No. 40Ausgleichskasse Arbeit geber Basel, Post -fach, 4002 Basel, Phone 061 285 22 22).The competent authority in Basel-Stadt

is the Department for Business, SocialServices and the Environment (Departe -ment für Wirtschaft, Soziales und Um welt).In the Canton of Basel-Landschaft it is theEconomy and Health Department (Volks -wirt schafts- und Gesundheitsdirek tion).Family allowances can be received if

earned income subject to social security(AHV) totals at least CHF 570.– per monthor CHF 6,840.– per year. Employees withlower incomes are not entitled toallowances under the law. The allowanceis not reduced in the case of part-timework. The claim to allowances underFamZG is based solely on salary entitle-ment. Only one child or educationallowance is paid for each child. If morethan one person could receive anallowance for the same child, then thebenefit is paid in the following order:1. The employed person2. The person who has parental custody or has had it until the child reachedmajority

3. The person with whom the child lives or lived primarily until reaching majori-ty

4. The person to whom the family allowance regulation in the child’s can-ton of residence applies

5. The person with the higher income subject to social security

The Family Compensation Office (Fa mi -lien ausgleichskasse, FAK) provides thecantonal Financial Control Authorities(FK) with data on the individuals coveredand on changes in membership as well asstatistical information. The cantonal FAKkeeps a central register of all employersand self-employed individuals subject tothe law and handles burden equalizationproceedings. The duties of the cantonalFAK include the registration or control ofindividuals who are not covered by anyother FAK, the payment of family allow -ances to nonemployed persons, controlof the registration of all individuals sub-ject to the law, and maintenance of thecentral register. The FAK is financed bycontributions of employers, employees ofemployers not required to pay contribu-tions, and self-employed persons.Novartis also grants its employees a

family allowance (currently CHF 130.–per child per month). This allowance

Social benefits

Family allowances and Reka checksdo not grow on trees Many affected employees were astonished and frustrated following thechange in the law and the consequent changes in social security contributionsat Novartis. The Novartis Employees’ Association (NAV) and its EmployeeRepresentative Council for employees with individual contracts (PV-A) wouldtherefore like to inform you about the changes in Switzerland’s federal law onfamily allowances – the Family Allowance Act (FamZG) – and about implemen-tation of these changes at Novartis.

Explanation of terminology

In federal law, family allowance is the term used to cover the following (based on an example for the canton of Basel-Stadt (BS): both parents reside in BS, 1 parent is a Novartis employee, 2 children):

At Novartis we use the term child and education allowances and make the following distinctions:

Benefit per child per month

Child allowance CHF 200.–

Education allowance CHF 250.–

Age limit

General

Age 16

Age 16–25

Special

With disability until age 20

None

Birth allowance

None

None

Employer contribu-tions to cantonal Family Compensation Office (FAK) in % of total salary

1,85 %

None

Novartis child allowance

Benefit per child per month

CHF 220.–

Family allowance

Coupled with child and education allowance CHF 130.–

Reka checks

Per child, coupled with child and education allowance

CHF 500.–



NAV was of the opinion that in thiscase the Novartis employee is a secondaryclaimant. Under Novartis guidelines, allemployees who are entitled to a childallowance receive the family allowance ofCHF 130.–. The company was of a differ-ent opinion in this case.➞ Novartis employees who live in France,and one parent is employed in France. Inthis case the following applies:Citizens of EU or EFTA member states,regardless of any claim to birth allow -ances, are in any case of equal status, evenif they have left their children behind inthe foreign EU or EFTA country. However,if there is a claim to family allowances inthe children’s country of residence basedon employment, then that claim takesprecedence. In this case, if the Swiss ben-efit is higher, the difference must be paidin Switzerland. Let us assume that a fami-ly with two children lives in France. Bothparents are employed. One is a Novartisemployee, and the other is employed inFrance. They receive the family allowancefrom France, the children’s place of resi-dence. The Novartis employee is entitledto payment of the difference because theamounts are higher in Basel. According toNovartis, however, this employee is a sec-ondary claimant and is not entitled toreceive the family allowance (CHF 130.–)and the Reka check benefit per child.

The demand of the PV-A and NAVThe Employee Representative Councilwas always of the opinion that it is notthe fault of the new law that a number of

employees have lost the internal familyallowances and Reka checks. Continuingto pay these amounts to secondary recip-ients is not illegal. It is within the compa-ny’s discretion. The Employee Represen -tative Council is even of the opinion that itis mandatory under company agreements.Since the new law has created a good

deal of confusion and displeasure amongemployees, we took this issue very seri-ously. For this reason, we went even fur-ther and requested from Novartis – afamily-friendly employer and a companywhere all employees have equal status –a bit more than just minimal implementa-tion of the new federal law.It was our goal that all employees with

children should have a right to the inter-nal Novartis family allowance and Rekachecks.After long and tough negotiations, the

PV-A was ultimately able to attain thecompany’s consent. See the e-mail from HR Communi -

cation on August 2, 2010: ”In the inter-ests of promoting a family-friendly com-pany policy, Novartis has decided volun-tarily to compensate any benefits(child and family allow ance or REKAchecks per child) that have ceasedwith an annual one-off payment. Thisapplies with retroactive effect fromJanuary 1, 2009.”

Davide Lauditi, PV-A President andNAV Vice PresidentSabine Zeller, PV-A Vice President andNAV Executive Committee Member

Example

Employed Canton Canton Family Payment Payment Payment Claim to of Berne, of Zurich, residence in in difference!Novartis outside Canton Canton Canton

company of Zurich of Berne of Zurich

Mother ✔ ✔ ✔ CHF 200.– CHF 200.–

Father ✔ ✔ ✔ CHF 290.– CHF 90.–

1 child under 12 ✔ ✔

Separate regulations apply to cross-border commuters. If the father of the childdoes not work in Switzerland, for example, then the child allowance must bereceived in the child’s country of residence. If the allowance paid outside Swit zer -land is lower than the allowance paid by Novartis, then a claim to payment of thedifference exists. Further in for mation is available through the Employee Work LifeServices Hotline, Phone 061 696 55 55, or [email protected]. Inaddi tion, other definitions for families may apply in other countries. Please contactthe hotline or your HR managers in these cases as well. The PV-A has produced adocument containing an analysis of these problems and given it to the company.

should not be confused with the statu -tory family allowance under FamZG.Novartis also grants a child allowance(currently CHF 220.– per child per monthin the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft), whereby the family allow -ance is only paid out in connection withthe Novartis child allowance. NAV is ofthe opinion that this connection isnot correct.The same applies to the entitlement to

Reka checks. The Reka check benefit perchild can only be received by permanentemployees of the Swiss Novartis compa-nies (excluding upper management) andonly in connection with the Novartis childallowance. The applicable benefit rulesfor 2010 include the following:

Per employee or apprentice (regardless of marital status) CHF 800.–

In addition, per child entitled to allowance CHF 500.–

Max. benefit per calendar year CHF 3,000.–

The benefit increases accordingly uponthe birth of any child entitled to anallowance. The increase shall be made inthe same year as the event.

Child and education allowances aswell as FamZG-based allowances atNovartisMany employees would lose their right tothe family allowance under FamZG (CHF130.–) and the claim to Reka checks foreach child if they were in the followingsituations:➞ The Novartis employee is a secondaryclaimant.An individual is a secondary claimant if

one parent works at Novartis (canton ofBern, for example) and the other parentworks in a different canton (canton ofZurich, for example), which is also thechildren’s place of residence. The parentwho works in the same canton in whichthe children reside receives the childallowance. If, however, the received sumis smaller than the sum that the Novartisemployee would receive, then theNovartis employee is entitled to the dif-ference. This is explained in the followingtable:


arrangements, but it also meets informal-ly to socialize over meals and drinks.

WIN program goals The WIN program’s objectives are tofamiliarize mentees with career modelsand new job descriptions, help themdevelop their personal career perspec-tives, provide models for integrating workand family life, give insights into theorganization and processes of a globalcompany, offer guidance in choosingbetween an academic or a private-sectorcareer, discuss job and role requirementsin the pharmaceuticals business, providenetworking opportunities and profession-al contacts, and foster personal growthand skills development through coaching. More often than not, mentees’ individualpriorities will be determined by their pro-fessional background (faculty) and familysituation (children, dual-career couple),and by how far along they are in theiracademic program.

Quality assurance considerationsIn line with customary practice atNovartis, the structure adopted for theWIN program is that of signed mentoringagreements on objectives within the duos.Accordingly, there is also an outcomes re -view, with the option to revise objectivesas part of the mid term workshop. A joint steering committee including

the vice chancellor of the University ofBasel and the WIN chairperson, Ms. Bar -bara Kessler of Novartis, oversees the pro-gram and assists the WIN project team.

WIN, a win-win situation all roundThe two organizations in charge, Novartisand the University of Basel, each benefitfrom the success of this program in termsof best practice and the publicity it gen-erates. For Novartis, which through thegreat number of hours and active involve-ment of its mentoring employees does

The idea behind WIN, as current asever

WIN was launched in 2000 asa pioneering diversity part-nership project betweenthe University of Basel and

Novartis. Despite the project’s respectabletrack record, the idea of recruiting morewomen into executive positions remainscurrent. What has changed are the valuesof the younger Generation Y, which chal-lenges traditional roles and ideas and willnot readily put up with everything at anyprice.The main feature that sets WIN apart

is the special composition of its mentor-mentee duos/tandems: a mentee at anadvanced stage of her academic program(doctoral thesis, postdoc, habilitation) anda mentor who is an experienced profes-sional or manager at Novartis. The pro-gram is run in a bilingual (German/English)format, mirroring the multi-lingual con-text in Basel.

Is it also or only a question of networking?Mentoring is a tried and tested concept.In Greek mythology, Mentor was thefriend of Odysseus and the tutor ofOdysseus’s son, Telemachos. A “mentor”is an experienced, well-meaning individ-ual who shares his or her experience andstrategies with a “protégé(e)” and intro-duces that person to important networks– a “personal advisor,” effectively. Net -work ing is critical. And yet, how to goabout it, is hardly a trivial matter. It raisesimportant questions: How do I build mynetwork? How do I develop it strategical-ly in line with my objectives and, crucially,how do I maintain it in the long term and

for long-term benefit? The mentors assistthis process by opening doors, enablingWIN mentees to expand their network invarious directions. Meanwhile, an associ-ation of former mentees – named WINalumnae – has been founded.

Creating opportunities for discoveries,experiences and learningThe WIN program strives to create aunique learning and experiential platformfor its mentees through a balanced agen-da. An official, obligatory portion of theWIN program featuring workshops andpresentations introduces mentees to thestructure and basic processes of drugdevelopment at Novartis. Additionalworkshops are offered on topics such asgetting to know one’s own personalitystructure and value systems, how to writerésumés and job applications, and how toprepare for job interviews. A tour of aproduction facility completes the officialpart of the program. At the core of each program, however,

is the supervision and support thementee receives from her mentor. In apainstaking matching process, the pro-gram team seeks to pair up each menteewith a suitable mentor who is able toguide, encourage and challenge thementee in professional as well as person-al matters. Each year, the opportunities to learn

and experience are recast by a projectgroup organized by the mentees them-selves – with a customer focus, as it were.This project group independently orga-nizes additional facility tours, presenta-tions, and expert panels and field reportson issues such as part-time work models(also for male executives) and childcare

Mentoring program between Novartis and the University of Basel

WIN: women into industryThe best-practice cross-mentoring program of Novartis and the University ofBasel is in its 10th anniversary cycle. So far, some 250 young female scientistsfrom the University of Basel have been given the chance to gain insight intothe working environment and business processes in the pharmaceuticalsindustry, find answers to questions relating to their own career planning andreceive practical advice on how to reconcile work and family, all with guid-ance from experienced Novartis mentors.


Source: www.thinktalk.com/blog

/daily_roundup_mentor_de_force


the lion’s share of the work that goes intothe program, each program cycle aver-ages a yield of between three and fivefull-time new hires. That said, WIN wasnot designed to be a recruiting tool.The mentees themselves emerge from

the year-long program not only with per-sonal learning objectives but also with anextensive network of social and profes-sional contacts. Their relationship withtheir mentor often evolves into a person-al friendship and exchange over thelonger term. The mentors for their part see their

personal benefit in sharing their experi-ences (often having been denied suchexperiences themselves in the early stagesof their academic program) and in havingtheir finger “on the pulse of a new gener -ation.” Despite the big time commitmentinvolved, most mentors usually sign upfor another year.

Who are the mentees from theUniversity of Basel? Twenty-five young female academics atall stages of their academic programs (Ph. D. students, postdocs, postgraduatesadmitted for habilitation) are selected percycle. Many have impressive résumés andlife experience. The selections are madefrom a deliberately wide range of facul-ties, though mainly biology/biochem-istry, chemistry and physics, followed by “Phil. I” (humanities) graduates indomains such as history, literature, sociol-ogy and ethnology as well as law andtheology. The distribution is rounded offwith a quota from the faculties of phar-macy, medicine and psychology. For sometime now, female scientists in the fields ofmathematics, information technology,economics, marketing and media studieshave also joined the ranks.Mentees’ origin, too, is a diversity fac-

tor taken into account: the focus lies onSwitzerland, followed by its neighboringcountries. Roughly a quarter come fromEuropean nations farther afield, above allin Eastern Europe. Another quarter hailfrom India and China, the Pacific region,and the Americas. This diversity is a hall-mark of the program and an indispens-able source of information and experi-ence shared by these mentees with theircolleagues. Sharing of this kind can beparticularly helpful where the issues aremobility and working in other cultures.

Who are the Novartis mentors?The pool of mentors comprises an equalnumber of women and men. Their pro-fessional backgrounds cover a wide spec-trum, as do the functions involved thatare prepared to support the commitmentand availability necessary. Widely diversein professional experience and position,mentors range from NIBR laboratoryheads to senior executives, and even signup repeatedly. As mentors, they may bebeginners or old hands themselves.

Long-term benefits and qualityBy annually evaluating the program –which consistently garners top grades –we can monitor the short-term benefitsand, where necessary, make adjustmentsas we plan the next cycle. In its anniver-sary year, the program is also the focus ofan impact study commissioned for thescientific investigation of the career andlife paths of former mentors andmentees, i.e., the alumnae.

Success factors – A flexible obligatory portion of the pro-gram giving mentees both responsibil-ity and scope for design based on theirneeds

– A good mix of mentors and the mentee peer group

– Rapid development of mutual trust and respect between mentor andmentee, without hierarchy issues

– Mutual commitment regarding the amount of time to be invested

– Defined objectives and a reasonable measure of success monitoring

– The willingness to engage in self-scrutiny

– A point of contact to address issues and resolve them swiftly

– Support for the pool of mentors through group meetings in which toshare their experiences

– Mentees’ own initiative and curiosity

Fascinating stories and moving momentsIn the WIN program, it is perfectly accept-able for mentees to have their babieswith them (some of the time), even inofficial workshops. The mentees tell eachother about their dissertation topics; anastrophysicist and an archeologist may becontrasting partners in one conversation,a theologian and a legal scholar in anoth-er. A mentor-mentee duo that starts out

deeply skeptical and dismissive of eachother over time sees their relationshipblossom into a personal friendship be -tween two families. Former menteesbecome WIN mentors themselves oncehired by Novartis.

Mentoring for whom? Nowadays, there are many types of men-toring. There are formal programs (suchas WIN, which extends to participantsfrom outside Novartis, and a range offunctional mentoring programs in-house), informal programs based on per-sonal initiatives and mentoring programsfor new hires, peer-mentoring programswhere people organize around similarissues, reverse mentoring, and so forth.Electronic mentoring platforms are avail-able online; mentoring is used even atschool level. A wealth of choices indeedfor improving one’s lot in life.

How do I empower myself?Any form of mentorship invariablyrequires a willingness on the part of thementees to take a hard look at their ownvalues, visions and specific goals, and toarticulate them. This willingness to learnand change is a must for success. A common complaint is that students

and employees wait to be nominated forparticipation in a formal mentorship pro-gram, and wind up disappointed if theyare not. At any given time, some or otherselection process will be open, and giventhe dearth of qualified mentoring capaci-ty, it is all the more important to be pro -active while there is time. One optionmay be to form a support group and gethelp with setting it up. Similarly, joiningan employee resource group (ERG) can bea start.Armed with a list of SMART goals,

which ideally will suit their personaldevelopment plan, and their preferredmentor profile, would-be mentees canstart looking for a suitable mentor them-selves. In the process, they may even dis-cover their own hidden talents and findthat they just might play the part of aninformal mentor themselves.

Stanislaw BukowieckiWIN Program Support

What did you get out of your workas president/executive committeemember of the in-house association? It expanded my knowledge and under-

standing of the company enormously. Itgave me insight into the structure andoperation of the company that I wouldnot have had in a purely scientific career.And it politicized me. It made me sensi-tive to social movements. I learned that itis worth fighting for a cause.

What convinced you to take on thejob as head of Diversity & Inclusion?After I had completed my second term

as president of the Employee’s Re presen -tative Council, Novartis offered me thisjob in 2003. I was excited since therewere many issues that I was already famil-iar with and that were very important tome: using employee potential to thefullest, prudent corporate culture, and awork environment free of discrimination.This meant that the conditions were inplace that would allow me to move fromthe employee to the employer side withreal conviction.

How have you managed to combineyour career, politics and family? You can also turn the question around:

how did my environment manage tomake this possible for me? And that isthe heart of the matter. I was very fortu-nate to have in Novartis an understand-ing employer who made it possible forme to have a flexible work schedule for anumber of years when our children weresmall. Later I found the same flexibility atNovartis when it came to combining aprofession with politics. My husband andmy parents have always provided reliablechildcare support and everything that afunctioning family life involves. My owncontribution probably lies in my ability todelegate work effectively, to maintain apragmatic working style, and simply toenjoy what I do.

Are you looking forward to yournew job?Yes – I am very excited about taking on

this major challenge. Although I neverhad a job in the communications areabefore, I am familiar with many of theissues relating to work and politics: thedialog with different stakeholders, thechallenges involved in reputation man-

In addition to her work as projectmanager, Kathrin Amacker wasinvolved for many years as a memberof the NAV Executive Committee, a

member of the Employee RepresentativeCouncil, and an employee member of theboard of trustees of the Novartis PensionFund, before she took over the job ofHead of Diversity & Inclusion at Novartis.Now another important step in her careerawaits her, and she will be leavingNovartis. Kathrin Amacker has had a verypositive and lasting effect on the NAVand the social partnership at Novartisthrough her constructive approach andher enormous negotiating skill.As NAV President, I wanted to find out

from Kathrin Amacker how she experi-enced her different jobs at Novartis andwhat she can take with her as she con-tinues her career.

How did you experience the mergerof the two companies and in-houseassociations? The merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz

was a dramatic event. Our chemical-phar-maceutical industry was entering un -known territory. The tension was there-fore very high in the entire region. Thefeeling of uncertainty and unease on thepart of the employees was enormoussince a decision had been made to cut3,300 jobs in Basel. This posed a very bigchallenge for the new company, Novartis,and the in-house associations, but ulti-mately we handled the challenge –together.

How has your experience as anemployee representative at Novartisinfluenced you?

Interview

NAV says goodbye toKathrin Amacker

I realized that success can be achievedif you put your whole heart into it, if youare not afraid of taking some risks, and ifa team puts the group as a whole abovethe individual. I learned how powerfulwords can be and that there is also a lothidden between the lines.

What can you take along with youfrom this period?Unforgettable encounters with many

people. And a backpack filled with expe-riences that I would have hated to missand that will always accompany me.

What would you do differentlytoday? I would approach things more calmly

and with greater composure. I would bea better listener and would remind myselfmore often that we Europeans alwaysjump to conclusions a bit too quicklyinstead of calmly seeking to understandand appreciate other views.

Did your work on the EmployeeRepresentative Council hinder yourcareer development?Not at all, just the opposite. Today it is

obvious that my work on the EmployeeRepresentative Council opened doorsinto politics. And my political activity wasan important factor in Swisscom’s processof selecting candidates for the corporatecommunications head position. The cen-tral thread in all of this only becameapparent afterwards. You can’t plan it –which is fortunate. In the end, we neverknow exactly where the journey will takeus.

Kathrin Amacker was NAV’s first president. Together with Alex Gasser, president of the in-house association at Sandoz, she merged the in-houseassociations of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz to form the Novartis Employees’Association NAV.

NAV, working for you


agement, the dealings with regulatoryauthorities, and the fragility of a goodreputation. Nonetheless, I am approach-ing this job with the greatest respect.

Dear Kathrin, the NAV ExecutiveCommittee wishes you all the best inthe future and much success andenjoyment with your new profes-sional challenge.

Henriette BrunnerNAV President


ATTENTION

Christmas Sales 2010:Operational changes

Members with internet accessOrder forms can be downloaded from the NAV Web site (www.nav.ch)from October 1, 2010. They shouldbe printed out, completed andreturned to the NAV office byNovember 19 at the latest.

Members without internetaccessOrder forms can be requestedfrom the office by phone on 061697 39 00 and they will be sentout by post.

Sale dates and collectionpointsSt. Johann Works, Building 501, P: on 12/14/2010 from 2 pm till 4 pm

Stein Works, WST-108.E.09: on 12/15/2010 from 11.30 am till 1.30 pm

NAV Business Center, Matten -strasse 51: on 12/16/2010 from 10 am till 3 pm

Christmas sales of smoked salmon and other specialities will run as follows this year.




Function of the courts

The City of Basel has long beenfamiliar with the IndustrialCourts of Arbitration, whichhandle disputes up to a value of

CHF 30,000. They comprise a court presi-dent, the clerk and two judges. Onejudge represents an employee and theother an employer. Neither judge has tobe a lawyer. They are proposed by theemployer/employee associations/trade

unions and chosen by the Regierungsrat(cantonal council).

Decisive role of the networkThanks to the Novartis Employees’ As so -ciation (NAV) membership of the Asso cia -tion of Employees for the Region of Basel(ARB), Urs Meister occupies just such aseat on the bench. His function is to bringto bear his many years of experience as alay judge to the court hearing. But he alsovotes if judgements are subject to appeal.The quality of the judg ments is enhancedby knowledge, practical professional andlife experience in the workplace.

Feet on the groundThis also ensures that the courts keeptheir “feet firmly on the ground” in eachcase. Urs Meister has been on the benchfor 7 years now and finds it a continuouslearning curve. On the other hand, as amember of the ARB and NAV boards, hehimself has much experience to contri -

“Basel Region Employees” Association, ARB

The Industrial Courts ofArbitration, Basel ...… and how the NAV is also comit-ted in the public interest to worker-specific concerns. The commitment shown by board

member Urs Meister, for example,demonstrates the way in whichNovartis uses its networks and alsohighlights the great sociopoliticalimportance attached to the involve-ment of NAV in external bodies.

bute. He understands why employees oremployers go to court; is aware of theproblems arising from employment lawwhich must be addressed; and is able toidentify where the Achilles’ heel of theadjudication lies. The adjudication alwaysinfluences policy and so Urs Meisterknows where leverage must be applied to

achieve fair employment legislation.

Participation in the judgmentsAs a practical example, the jud-ges experience both the advan-tages and disadvantages of theliberal employment legislation inSwitzerland because dismissalsand terminations are generally afrequent cause for legal pro-ceedings. Money is usuallydemanded when an employee/

employer relationship is terminated. UrsMeister can also observe – and not onlyobserve, but participate – when changesto employee references are involved. In contrast to how things used to be,

judges at the industrial courts of arbitra -tion are also appointed from other branches such as the life sciences andchemistry.

ARB and NAV build the frameworkIn this respect, networks and associationssuch as the ARB and NAV are essential forthe exercise of any socially valuable activi-ty. These associations create the struc turesin which people can operate. Medicinescannot be developed in a vacuum. Theyrequire a company which, in addition toresearch and development, also has per-sonnel, financial, transport and logisticsdepartments. Similarly, a judicial bench ina vacuum would make no sense and thisis why the respective associations areresponsible for nominating these judges.

Hans FurerCEO, ARB



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This Hebel quotation illustrates the low regard in whichthe local dialect must have been held at that time. Thiswas also the reason why the poet first published his“Allemannische Gedichte” anonymously in 1803. The

poems were written from exile in Karlsruhe after a journey to hishome, which is probably why they seem to us so romanticallyallusive. His contemporary, Goethe, was sojourning in Strass-burg at that time, where he was cultivating a love affair. He wasvery affected by the Alemannic dialect and Hebel’s poetry andbrought a new and glowing prominence to Hebel and his work.Rainer Maria Rilke also aptly said of Hebel: “It is not that thisman wrote poetry in dialect but rather that, in his work, the dia-lect became poetical. That’s the bottom line.” Owing to suchpraise from such notable sources, sales of Hebel’s volume ofpoetry were rapid and all subsequent editions were publishedunder his own name. The next milestone in his literary careerwas passed in 1807, when Hebel became the new editor of the“Rheinländische Hausfreund” (formerly the “Badischer Haus -kalen der”). Here he was able to give full reign to his narrativeskills (so admired by the likes of Leo Tolstoi, Gottfried Keller andHermann Hesse). He was able to publish up to thirty stories everyyear in the “Kalender”, which became what would be describedtoday as an absolute bestseller. Every year his readership reached250,000 and Hebel succeeded in producing a kind of entertai-ning, cultural mass medium which, in journalism, would still berevolutionary today. He used it to publish his most famousworks, including “Kan nit verstan”, “Unverhofftes Wiedersehen”and “Der fromme Rat.” From 1811, the best stories from it wereselected for “Schatzkästlein des rheinischen Haus freun des.”His most outstanding poetical works from the “Alle man ni -

schen Gedichten” are “Die Vergänglichkeit,” in which Hebelattempts to work through the early death of his mother, and“Die Wiese” in which he sensitively describes his nearby home.And the Wiese, the “beloved daughter of the Feldberg,” is

also the theme of the 250-year celebrations in honor of JohannPeter Hebel in 2010. Under the active overall control of theHebel Association, a Hebel Walking Trail has been created alongthis Black Forest River, from its source to its estuary in the Rhineat Basel. The trail is sixty kilometres in length and features thirtyinformation boards. Hebel admirers of a more sporty inclinationcan now start the walk at the house of the poet’s birth on theTotentanz in Basel near the “Schifflände”. Alternatively, they cancomfortably cycle or walk the entire Wiesental, either in one fellswoop or in stages. However, we are taking the direct route intoHausen, Hebel’s home village in the heart of the Wiesental, abo-

ard the S6 rail link from the Badischer Bahnhof in Basel to Zell.After a comfortable journey in the modern Regio S-Bahn, weleave the train at Hausen-Raitbach station, cross the lovely riverWiese and stroll down the Bahnhofstrasse, past the Rathaus(please note the fountain!), across the Teichbach, an old factorycanal, to the Hebel house. In the front courtyard, between the

timber-framed house of the poet’s parents and its beautiful kit-chen garden, we really feel as if we’ve stepped back in time tothe year 1760. Now we’re ready to appreciate the romantic atmosphere

inside this poet’s pretty house. Every room on the first floor, everypiece of furniture, every object inside this building is so authen-tically redolent of the spirit of Hebel that the visitor wouldn’t beat all surprised if the poet appeared in the flesh to greet themwith a hearty “Griess Gott” or “Gott wilche.” Dur ing the sum-mer months, when mother and father worked in Basel with thefamilies to whom they were in service, the furniture would havebeen covered in linen dustsheets, and the museum has done thesame in one room. The indefatigable Museum Society preparedearly for visitors in anticipation of the big Hebel Year 2010 andorganized and expanded the “He bel huus” to create an out-

Things to see in Basel, Regio and Interregio – 16th contribution Hausen, Germany

H for Hausen – H for Hebel“At certain moments I can feel irrepressibly proud ofmyself and happy to the point of intoxication because Ihave succeeded in achieving classical status and fame for our otherwise much scorned and ridiculed language.”



Henriette BrunnerNAV President

standing edu cational attraction. It opensits doors to visitors on Wednes days,Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am till 5pm for three euros. After leaving the museum, we cross

the road to visit the little evangelicalchurch and the Hebel memorial and strolla while through the picturesque and his-torical heart of the village (with its ancientRat haus, guest-house Adler and rollingmill) before we travel forward in timeagain to the present day, courtesy of therailway. En route to Basel, we can enjoythe poem “die Wiese” and, from Riehenat the latest, we can hum our very ownhymn, “Z Basel an mym Rhy,” a gift fromJohann Peter Hebel to the citizens ofBasel!

Additional linkswww.hebelstiftung.chwww.hebelbund.dewww.hebelhaus-hausen.dewww.hausen-im-wiesental.dewww.museum-am-burghof.de


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