Federal popular initiative "For the protection of fair wages (minimum wage initiative)"
The minimum wage initiative was a federal popular initiative that the Swiss sovereign decided on May 18, 2014. It was rejected by all the stands and rejected with 76.3 percent no votes.
The aim of the initiative was to adapt the Federal Constitution , through which the Confederation and the cantons should in future have encouraged the establishment of binding minimum wages in collective employment contracts . In addition, a statutory minimum wage of CHF 22 per hour or CHF 4,000 per month (or CHF 3,692 per month if the 13th monthly wage is taken into account) was required, which should apply as the lowest limit for all employees. Exceptions for special employment relationships should be possible in consultation with the social partners. The level of the statutory minimum wage should be regularly adjusted to the development of wages and prices.
The workers' unions and the SP Switzerland were in favor of the initiative . They wanted every full-time employee to be able to earn a living on their wages. So that the people could vote on the minimum wage initiative, 110,000 signatures were submitted and deposited with the Federal Chancellery .
Reason
The initiative was justified by the fact that around 330,000 people or 9% of employees in Switzerland currently earn wages of less than CHF 22 an hour. According to the initiators, these “low-wage workers” in the high-priced country of Switzerland have trouble financing their own living.
The initiators also called for a minimum wage to protect workers from wage dumping through “low-wage competition” from neighboring countries. There is currently no lower wage limit in Switzerland.
Employees with very low wages receive financial support from the state. With the introduction of a minimum wage of 4,000 francs, the social welfare institutions in Switzerland would be relieved of around 100 million francs per year, as fewer people would have to rely on financial support from the federal government.
Initiative text
I
The Federal Constitution is amended as follows:
Art. 110a (new) Protection of wages
1 The Confederation and the cantons take measures to protect wages on the labor market.
2 For this purpose, they promote in particular the establishment of local, professional and industry-standard minimum wages in collective employment contracts and compliance with them.
3 The federal government sets a statutory minimum wage. This applies to all employees as a mandatory lower wage limit. The federal government can issue exceptions for special employment relationships.
4 The statutory minimum wage is regularly adjusted to the development of wages and prices, but at least to the extent of the pension index of the old-age and survivors' insurance.
5 The exceptions and the adjustments of the statutory minimum wage to the wage and price development are issued with the cooperation of the social partners.
6 The cantons can set mandatory surcharges on top of the statutory minimum wage.
II
The transitional provisions of the Federal Constitution are changed as follows:
Art. 197 no. 8 (new)
8. Transitional provision to Art. 110a (Protection of wages)
1 The statutory minimum wage is CHF 22 per hour. When Article 110a comes into force, the wage and price developments that have accrued since 2011 will be added in accordance with Article 110a paragraph 4.
2 The cantons designate the authority that is responsible for enforcing the statutory minimum wage.
3 The Federal Council shall bring Article 110a into force no later than three years after its adoption by the people and the cantons.
4 If no implementing law comes into force within this period, the Federal Council, with the participation of the social partners, shall issue the necessary implementing provisions by ordinance.
1 SR 101
2 Since the popular initiative does not intend to replace any transitional provisions of the Federal Constitution, the transitional provisions on this article will only receive the final number after the referendum, based on the chronology of the constitutional amendments adopted in the referendum. The Federal Chancellery will make the necessary adjustments before publication in the Official Collection of Federal Law (AS).
poll
On May 18, 2014, a nationwide vote was held to approve the initiative. With around 2,209,000 no and 688,000 yes votes, 76.3 percent of voters decided against the implementation of the minimum wage initiative. The no-votes predominated in all cantons, with the highest share in Appenzell Innerrhoden , Nidwalden , Obwalden and Schwyz (over 86 percent), and lowest in Basel-Stadt (62.5 percent). The initiative was also rejected in Neuchâtel and Jura , although a cantonal minimum wage was introduced there after votes in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
Web links
- Committee side of the initiators
- Unia union campaign website
- Opponent of the minimum wage initiative
- Website of the Federal Chancellery on the initiative
Individual evidence
- ↑ Content of the initiative ( Memento of the original from March 24, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , on the website of the Swiss Confederation of Trade Unions.
- ↑ Infographic: Costs of introducing a minimum wage in Switzerland
- ↑ Arguments for a minimum wage ( memento of the original from March 24, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , on the website of the Swiss Confederation of Trade Unions.
- ↑ Initiative text , accessed on April 15, 2014
- ^ Felix Schindler: People smash minimum wage. In: Tages-Anzeiger , accessed on May 18, 2014.
