Official resultsExternal link from Sunday’s vote show 58.2% of voters coming out in favour of the initiative by trade union groups and left-wing parties.
The cantonal government as well as the right-wing and centre-right had recommended rejection of the proposal.
Supporters of the minimum wage say the aim is to reduce the number of working poor who can’t afford the prices in the Geneva region known for its high cost of living.
Opponents argue salary levels have to be negotiated between employers and employees without state intervention.
Geneva is only the third of Switzerland’s 26 cantons to introduce a minimum wage. At the beginning of next year, canton Ticino will also join the group.
Another vote on the issue is planned in canton Basel City next year.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
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Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
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TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
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The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
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The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
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China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
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A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
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The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
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Who’s at risk of poverty in Switzerland?
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Over a million Swiss residents were struggling financially before coronavirus. The pandemic threatens to push many of them into precarious situations.
Over two million Swiss are covered by collective labour contracts
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According to the office, 2,066,550 workers (out of a total working population of 4.7 million) are employed under the terms and conditions of 600 different collective labour agreements. Almost half of all employees work in industries or sectors offering collective labour agreements with binding regulations. The statistics refer to the situation in March 2016. +…
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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.