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Parliament relaxes Sunday opening restrictions

This content was published on Sep 30, 2004 Unions were quick to denounce the move towards a seven-day working week, and said they would call a referendum to resist the gradual erosion of workers’ rights. On Thursday the Senate followed the House of Representatives in voting to relax Switzerland’s strict Sunday trading restrictions. The decision means that shops at Switzerland’s airports and at…

Unions say wage dumping is now reality

This content was published on Sep 29, 2004 The Swiss government admits that wage dumping has become a problem in some cantons, but denies that it is widespread. On June 1 the second phase of a bilateral accord with Brussels came into effect, removing the priority previously given to Swiss workers in the domestic labour market. At the time, union leaders warned that…

Dairy producer Emmi prepares to go public

This content was published on Sep 29, 2004 In preparation for the big event, Emmi’s top managers have this month been touring central Switzerland to drum up interest in the idea. Emmi, a producer of health and lifestyle drinks, will soon reach an annual turnover of SFr2 billion ($1.59 billion), a quarter of which is achieved through exports. Hundreds of dairy farmers listened…

Nobel laureate says Swiss economy “gets it right”

This content was published on Sep 29, 2004 But in an interview with swissinfo, Nobel prize-winning economist John Nash says Switzerland is the country whose economic policy “comes closest to getting it right”. Professor Nash, best known as the pioneer of game theory, made the comment in response to a recent survey carried out by the “Wall Street Journal”. Other Nobel laureates plumped…

Research institute offers mixed economic forecast

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 But the KOF Institute for Business Cycle Research warned on Tuesday that growth would peak at the end of the year and lowered its forecast for 2005 to 1.8 per cent. Five months ago, KOF forecast growth of 1.4 per cent this year and 1.9 per cent in 2005. Earlier this month the Swiss National…

Government urges support for stem-cell research

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 The issue, which goes to a nationwide vote on November 28, is being opposed by anti-abortion groups and the Greens. The new law, which has been approved by parliament, would allow fertilised eggs left over from in-vitro fertilisation to be used for research purposes, but only under strict conditions. If approved at the ballot box,…

Alien life forms threaten Switzerland

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 Alien animals and plants pose a serious threat to biodiversity, the national economy and people’s health – according to the organisers of the Neobiota international conference. Wolfgang Nentwig of Bern University, one of the conference organisers, told swissinfo that the Swiss public needed to be made aware of the inroads foreign species were making. “People…

Ruminations on cows and cultural differences

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 In an interview with swissinfo, she talks about life on a dairy farm, her fondness for cows, and cultural differences. Vicki worked for three years on the von Allmen’s dairy farm before marrying Hans-Christen, a farmer and cheesemaker. She has to contend with life without electricity at the so-called “Candlelight Hotel” and says she misses…

Converium unveils details of survival plan

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 The company said on Tuesday that a syndicate of banks would underwrite its plans to plug a gaping hole in reserves by injecting SFr533 million ($420 million) of new capital. But the company’s share price lost further ground, falling by about ten per cent in early afternoon trading at the stock exchange to SFr17.65 from…

Shareholders back Converium survival plan

This content was published on Sep 28, 2004 They also voted in favour of reducing the nominal value of the share price from SFr10 to SFr5. Converium had asked shareholders to approve the steps at a special meeting in Zurich. Earlier on Tuesday the reinsurer announced that banks had underwritten the deal at a steep discount. But the company’s share price lost further…

Internal: Archive

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Parliament relaxes Sunday opening restrictions

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Unions say wage dumping is now reality

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Dairy producer Emmi prepares to go public

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Nobel laureate says Swiss economy “gets it right”

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Research institute offers mixed economic forecast

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Government urges support for stem-cell research

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Alien life forms threaten Switzerland

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Ruminations on cows and cultural differences

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Converium unveils details of survival plan

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Shareholders back Converium survival plan

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