Workplace Switzerland

Number of working poor in Switzerland drops

This content was published on Nov 21, 2005 Around 211,000 people failed in 2004 to earn enough to cover their basic needs, down 20,000 over the previous year’s figure. In Switzerland, a single person earning less than SFr2,490 ($1,895) a month – after tax and social security are deducted – and a couple with two children getting less than SFr4,603 are considered to…

New weapon to combat salary discrimination

This content was published on Nov 1, 2005 Despite equal pay for equal work being enshrined in the constitution, the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions said there had been little progress over the past 25 years. As part of a new campaign for higher pay for women, launched on Tuesday, the unions unveiled an online pay calculator. The tool takes into account qualifications,…

Rise in retirement age inevitable say experts

This content was published on Oct 20, 2005 In a report released on Thursday, it said that the falling birth rate and increased life expectancy meant that the “dogma” of pensions at age 65 would have to be abandoned. Committee president Gebhard Kirchgässner, a professor at St Gallen University, said that population changes were “dramatic”. The low birth rate and rising life expectancy…

Workplace noise causes widespread discomfort

This content was published on Oct 11, 2005 The Swiss Accident Insurance Fund (Suva) said on Tuesday that every year it encountered at least 600 serious cases of damaged hearing due to workplace noise. This makes deafness one of the most common work-based illnesses in the country. In total it costs the insurance industry around SFr8 million ($6.2 million) a year, Suva said…

Pros and cons of the Swiss-EU labour accord

This content was published on Sep 19, 2005 swissinfo weighs the pros and cons of extending the Swiss-EU deal to the ten new member states. Parliament and cabinet approved the agreement last year, but opponents, led by the far-right Swiss Democrats and supported by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party, collected enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on the issue. The so-called accord…

Swiss urged to embrace new EU member states

This content was published on Sep 16, 2005 André von Graffenried also said Switzerland’s image could suffer if it failed to admit workers from the new European Union member states. Poland, the largest of the ten new EU member states, has an unemployment rate of 18 per cent. Swiss concerns have focused on the “Polish plumber”, a symbol of the migrant east European…

Federal employees face an uncertain future

This content was published on Sep 16, 2005 Peter Hablützel, the outgoing official, has said he is “disgusted” at the way federal employees are being treated. “Spring-cleaning” is how Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz has defined plans to reform the federal administration. But the “cleaning” has got off to an inauspicious start, with the sudden departure of the head of the Federal Personnel Office,…

Hospital hires foreigners in boom times

This content was published on Sep 13, 2005 Her boss, head of nursing Barbara Brühwiler, says the Swiss economy – rather than the easing of labour restrictions for European Union nationals – determines how many foreign workers she hires. Schau, who is 29 years old, comes from near Frankfurt. She had a permanent job in Germany but wanted to broaden her horizons. “During…

Poles predict no mass migration to Switzerland

This content was published on Sep 5, 2005 But when swissinfo travelled to the Polish capital, Warsaw, it seemed that most Poles were in no hurry to pack their bags and head for Switzerland. It’s now more than one year since Poland was admitted to the EU, marking the start of a new era for the former communist country. While the Stalinist-era Palace…

Poles predict no mass migration to Switzerland

This content was published on Sep 5, 2005 But when swissinfo travelled to the Polish capital, Warsaw, it seemed that most Poles were in no hurry to pack their bags and head for Switzerland. It’s now more than one year since Poland was admitted to the European Union, marking the start of a new era for the former communist country. While the Stalinist-era…

Workplace Switzerland

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Workplace Switzerland

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Number of working poor in Switzerland drops

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New weapon to combat salary discrimination

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Rise in retirement age inevitable say experts

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Workplace noise causes widespread discomfort

More

Pros and cons of the Swiss-EU labour accord

More

Swiss urged to embrace new EU member states

More

Federal employees face an uncertain future

More

Hospital hires foreigners in boom times

More

Poles predict no mass migration to Switzerland

More

Poles predict no mass migration to Switzerland

Popular Stories

Most Discussed