When Switzerland signed the first set of bilateral treaties with the European Union in 1999, it agreed to a progressive opening of its labour market. In 2005, a majority of Swiss voted to extend the market to the ten new members of the EU. Since then, the number of EU workers in Switzerland has continued to rise, with an increasing number of Poles being granted work permits for many jobs the Swiss prefer not to do. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)
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Minimum wage comes under the spotlight
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In January the Trade Union Federation launched a people’s initiative calling for a minimum wage of SFr4,000 ($4,350) per month – triple the European average – and is expected to hand in signatures to force a nationwide vote early next year. On November 27, 54 per cent of Neuchâtel voters agreed to the principle of…
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