COVID-Angel: Partnership Set Up Between Cantons Of Valais And Valais Mountain Lifts

The Department of Economics and Education (DVB) and the Association of Walliser Mountain Railways (WBB) are renewing their partnership in order to ensure that the winter season 2021-2022 runs smoothly. The “COVID-Angel” project launched a year ago will be carried out again this winter. The aim is to guarantee strict compliance and application of the applicable protection concepts in the fight against the pandemic. For this purpose, around a hundred job seekers are employed by the Valais mountain railways with financial support from the state of Valais.

In view of the current situation, the 2021-2022 winter season will be tricky for the Valais mountain railways. The main difficulty lies in the strict adherence to and application of protection concepts. In order to guarantee the safety of the winter season, the mountain railways wanted to renew the positive experiences from last winter and carry out the "COVID-Angel" project again.

The Association of Walliser Mountain Railways (WBB) plans to employ around one hundred job seekers in order to ensure that the winter season 2021-2022 runs smoothly. It is not only about supporting the mountain railways as the backbone of the winter tourism offer, but also about supporting the employees of the WBB in their obligation to enforce compliance with health protection plans. The "COVID-Angel" project is the result of a partnership between the Department of Economics and Education (DVB) through its Department for Industry, Trade and Labor (DIHA) and the WBB.

The “information personnel” will be responsible for disseminating information and prevention messages. In addition, they will assist employees in organizing queues to comply with health protection plans, which will be adjusted as the sanitary situation evolves. You will also provide clear and precise information about the preventive measures and the rules of conduct.

In the current times, which are particularly difficult at the health and economic level, this project is also given a social touch through the (re) integration of job seekers with a fixed-term employment contract with the Valais mountain railways. The budget of 1.45 million francs is financed 60% by the cantonal employment fund and 40% by the mountain railways.