Paul Rechsteiner, president of the Swiss Trade Union Federation said top earners should contribute according to their income to shore up the insurance, which has run up debts of about SFr7 billion ($6.7 billion).
He said the proposed reform, which comes to a nationwide vote on September 26, was unjust and its supporters, including the government, were using misleading information.
Other union representatives said that cuts of SFr620 million in insurance payments put the burden on the younger generation, those over the age of 55 and employees with health problems.
On Monday supporters of the reform, from centre-right and rightwing parties, said rejection of the reform would lead to a 0.5 per cent increase in salary deductions to fund the insurance.
Parliament approved the reform in March, but centre-left parties and trade unions collected enough signatures to force a referendum on the issue.
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Government backs cuts to unemployment scheme
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Doris Leuthard, who also heads the economics ministry, said on Friday the government considers the cost-saving measures as “required, balanced and relevant” and that voters should approve the measure at the polls on September 26. The Swiss Trade Union Federation disagrees. The group said in a statement that the proposals will lead to job losses…
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Representatives of the five groups said the revised law was balanced and the planned cuts in unemployment benefits were justified to secure the future of the scheme. Parliamentarians of the Radicals, the Christian Democrats, the Conservative Democrats, the Liberal Greens and the Swiss People’s Party warned a rejection of the reform would lead to a…
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Voters will have the final say in September on a legal amendment approved by parliament and designed at resetting the balance of the insurance scheme by reducing its debts. It was a colourful group with flags, balloons and banners who handed the cardboard boxes with the necessary signatures for a nationwide vote to the federal…
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