Trade unions criticize concessions to Brussels
Published: Monday, Nov 6th 2023, 16:00
Updated At: Tuesday, Nov 7th 2023, 00:54
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Switzerland's concessions in the exploratory talks with the EU Commission go too far for the trade unions. They criticize the threat of a reduction in wage protection and public services. They are calling on the Federal Council to make corrections.
The project for an institutional framework agreement has turned into a liberalization programme, criticized the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) and the trade union umbrella organization Travailsuisse at a media conference in Bern on Monday. The Federal Council must correct these mistakes.
The current proposals are inadequate, said SGB President Pierre-Yves Maillard at a media conference in Bern on Monday.
In particular, the trade unions fear that the planned joint declaration will anticipate the outcome of the actual negotiations. The Federal Council must now conduct real negotiations, demanded Travailsuisse President Adrian Wüthrich. After all, the issues at stake should not be left to diplomacy and administration.
"Peculiar understanding of politics"
"We were told this one-to-one: There is nothing more," said SGB chief economist Daniel Lampart. He then asked the federal administration what kind of strange understanding of politics and law they had.
If the local rules were not enforced, foreign companies could demand Swiss prices and pay foreign wages, Lampart warned: "That would be an Eldorado for companies and hell for employees."
The SGB chief economist emphasized that in no other country is the risk of wage pressure as great as in Switzerland. This is because foreign companies demand much higher prices here and companies from neighboring countries can work in their native language.
Controversial expense regulation
The trade unions are particularly bothered by the fact that Switzerland is to adopt the so-called origin principle for expense regulations. This means that employees who are posted to Switzerland will in future receive expense allowances in accordance with the regulations in their home country - and no longer in accordance with Swiss collective labor agreements.
Swiss companies and employees would be at a competitive disadvantage as a result, and foreign employees would be discriminated against, according to the criticism. Polish labor law, for example, has no expense regulations, said Lampart.
The principle of "equal pay for equal work in the same place" is in danger of being watered down, said Vania Alleva, President of the trade union Unia. And this is by no means about "peanuts", but about very substantial wage shares for those affected.
"No conditions like in Germany"
The trade unions also fear a poorer supply of electricity and rail transport for the population. According to them, the adoption of EU law in these areas demanded by the EU Commission would mean complete liberalization of the electricity market for small customers and market access for rail companies such as Flixtrain in international passenger transport.
Just a year ago, the trade association was calling for companies to be able to return to the basic electricity supply, said Maillard. This was because the volatile prices on the free market had become a threat for many.
In Europe, rail liberalization has generally led to poorer services, worse working conditions, unpunctuality and unreliability, said Matthias Hartwich, President of the Transport Workers' Union (SEV).
Federal Council to decide in a few weeks
According to reports, the exploratory talks between Switzerland and the EU have been concluded so far: Specifically, common "landing zones" have been defined as the basis for future negotiations. The results of the exploratory talks are now to be set out in a joint declaration.
The Federal Council is then expected to present its negotiating mandate in December or January and send it to the two foreign policy committees and the cantons for consultation. Depending on the outcome, negotiations could then begin next February or March.
©Keystone/SDA
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