Trade unions are relieved: the dreaded 60-hour working week is off the table for the time being

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The unions were alarmed by the proposal of FDP state councilor Marcel Dobler (43). The resident of St. Gallen demands that start-ups do not have to comply with labor law in certain cases. What does this mean: no more regulation of working hours, holidays and breaks. The exception should apply to all employees who own shares, for example in the form of bearer shares.

Although the demand is highly controversial, it has cleared initial hurdles in parliament. Now, however, the Economic Commission of the National Council is pressing the stop button at the last minute. Instead of discussing the proposal during the winter session that begins next week, the committee is suspending it until further notice. The reason for this is the Federal Council.

The Federal Council is against the plans

The government is against Dobler’s proposal and encourages parliament to explore other avenues and create an exception through regulations specifically aimed at start-up companies.

The committee then decided to take a U-turn. “As is the usual procedure, we did not have the opinion of the Federal Council when we presented our draft to the National Council,” explains Leo Müller (65, LU), on the phone. “We have therefore asked the Federal Council, in collaboration with the social partners, to investigate whether it is possible to create an exception at regulatory level to the working and rest time regulations for employees of start-up companies with share ownership.” The Federal Council can decide on its own authority on changes to the regulations.

“The planned template went way too far”

The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) is satisfied. He had already threatened a referendum and warned that the social gains of 110,000 workers could be lost. And this also applies to hair salons, butcher shops and restaurants.

“The decision confirms our analysis: the planned proposal went far too far; it would have lifted working time limits for tens of thousands of people,” Benoît Gaillard (38) explains to Blick. The SGB spokesperson believes that “the Commission is finally taking a more sensible position to solve the very specific problems of start-ups”.

What exactly is a start-up?

The problem is: the term ‘start-up’ does not legally exist in Switzerland. The committee decided to speak of a company “whose founding was less than five years ago”.

This definition sparked outrage during consultations between November 2022 and March 2023. Even cantons led by right-wing parties rejected the draft. The main concerns of the unions: Such a broad definition would allow any company established in the last five years to give its employees a small share to legally work 60 hours a week, including Sundays, and night work, to keep people to make it work.

But widespread opposition to their proposal fell on deaf ears within the Commission. At the end of August, its members decided not to change any commas and to submit their report to the National Council. It was only the Federal Council that made economic politicians reconsider. (Yes haha)

Source:Blick