May 1: Swiss unions see further improvements for workers
Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider from the left-wing Social Democratic Party is scheduled to speak in Thun on Wednesday
Keystone/Anthony Anex
Labour Day events are being held across Switzerland on Wednesday under the slogan “Premiums down, wages up!”.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA
Português
pt
Sindicatos suíços veem mais melhorias para os trabalhadores
Following the success at the polls of the 13th monthly pension payment in March, the trade unions see another opportunity to improve the situation of the working population on June 9.
“The Yes to the 13th pension has shown what is possible and should point the way for the future,” says an appeal published in advance by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions for Labour Day, also known as May Day or International Workers’ Day.
After all, strengthening the old-age pension was only the beginning, it said. “Now, with the vote on the premium relief initiative on June 9, there’s another immediate opportunity to improve the situation of the working population,” it said.
Families, lower and middle incomes are suffering from the explosion in premiums, it explained. The premium burden is becoming unbearable for the middle class. The trade unions are therefore focusing on the “unsocial” financing of the healthcare system. At the same time, they are stepping up their commitment to the wage issue and fighting for purchasing power with lower health insurance premiums.
After years of record profits and dividends, there is finally a need for strong wage increases, the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions said. “Because if things go on like this, the bosses and company owners will get an even bigger slice of the cake.”
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Switzerland to introduce flight passenger database
This content was published on
Switzerland plans to introduce a flight passenger database to collect and process personal data in a bid to combat terrorism and serious crime.
Government plans to invest over CHF16bn in Swiss rail network
This content was published on
The federal government intends to invest CHF16.4 billion ($18.1 billion) in railway infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, CHF2 billion more than for the current period.
Swiss to vote on pension reform and biodiversity in September
This content was published on
Swiss citizens will vote on occupational pension schemes and a biodiversity initiative on September 22, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
Ukraine peace talks: 50 countries have confirmed participation
This content was published on
To date, 50 countries out 160 invited delegations have confirmed they will attend the Ukraine peace conference, held in central Switzerland in mid-June, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.
Federer-backed On boosts forecast after sneaker demand rises
This content was published on
Swiss footwear company On Holding AG posted strong first-quarter revenue, boosted by demand for its running shoes and new line of training apparel.
Michael Schumacher’s watches fetch CHF4 million at Swiss auction
This content was published on
Watches belonging to Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher sold for around CHF4 million ($4.41 million) at auction house Christie's in Geneva on Tuesday.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.