Workplace Switzerland

Unions say free movement regulations too lax

This content was published on May 20, 2011 On Friday the Swiss Trade Union Federation called on the government to set up a national task force, which would include union representatives, to fight wage dumping. The Trade Union Federation also criticised the failure of the authorities to introduce a minimum salary. The unions are demanding that companies hiring staff from the EU should…

Hospital care in “top league”

This content was published on May 20, 2011 The survey compared 15 countries, 11 within Europe and four outside, and found that hospital staff were also generally happy with their working conditions. The RN4CAST (Nursing forecasting in Europe) report is supported by the European Union, with the Swiss part being carried out by the Institute of Nursing Science at Basel University. It found…

Tough competition

This content was published on May 18, 2011 Since 2002, when unlimited access to labour markets gradually came into force between Switzerland and the European Union, trade unions and job inspectors have noticed an increasing number of violations of legal standards, particularly among companies offering temporary employment. (SF/TSR/TSI swissinfo.ch)

Disability benefits to face cuts

This content was published on May 13, 2011 Interior Minister Didier Burkhalter said the aim was to save about SFr325 million ($368 million) annually and to liquidate the multi-billion debt by 2025. “It is the final stage of reforms to recapitalise the disability insurance system,” he told a news conference. The proposed reform foresees an overhaul of the staggered benefit system and promotes…

Unemployment continues decline in April

This content was published on May 6, 2011 A statement issued by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) on Friday said the number of people looking for work in April declined by 16,796 and now stood at 181,041. Unemployment levels among young people (aged 16-24) dropped 13.5 per cent to 16,722 from March to April. Youth unemployment has fallen by 32.4 per…

Quotas remain for Bulgarians and Romanians

This content was published on May 4, 2011 Wednesday’s announcement comes only four days after quotas were lifted for eight European Union countries which joined the EU in 2004. Bulgaria and Romania became members in 2007. Both eastern European countries, through their EU membership, have benefited since 2009 from Switzerland’s treaty with the EU on the free movement of people. However, a clause…

Swiss companies underpaying foreign workers

This content was published on May 3, 2011 The report on the control measures which were set up alongside the extension of free movement of people to new European Union members shows that more than a third of companies with collective work agreements were caught underpaying foreign staff. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), which compiled and presented the report, says the…

Wage dumping

This content was published on May 3, 2011 The building and restaurant sectors are among those more exposed to salary undercutting and other illegal practices towards the foreign work force. The case of a kitchen apprentice who used to work for less than the minimum wage. (TSR/swissinfo.ch)

More cases of salary undercutting reported

This content was published on May 3, 2011 The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs – a unit of the economics ministry – said nearly two in five employees in sectors with collective labour agreements, and a further 12 per cent in sectors without such regulations, were affected in 2010. The authorities said they reviewed the working conditions of more than 40,000 people in…

Unions say wage gap continues to widen

This content was published on Apr 30, 2011 Employers have relativised the findings, saying an influx of foreign firms has had an influence on the statistics. Switzerland is growing richer from year to year. Yet many people seem to have less money in their pockets at the end of the month. It was widely assumed that the salaries of the top income earners…

Workplace Switzerland

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