Industrial contracts must be given priority: the Federal Council attacks cantonal minimum wages

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What should be given more weight: national collective labor agreements (GAV) or cantonal minimum wages? In a motion, State Councilor Erich Ettlin (Centre/OW) called for collective labor agreements declared generally binding to take precedence over cantonal minimum wages. The cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, Geneva, Ticino and Basel-Stadt already know this.

To implement Ettlin’s motion, tabled by both councils, the Federal Council is proposing an amendment to the law on the general application of collective labor agreements. Accordingly, provisions on minimum wages in collective labor agreements should be declared generally applicable, even if they conflict with mandatory cantonal law.

What this means can be well illustrated by the example of Geneva: the French canton has introduced a minimum wage of 23.27 francs. As a result, according to the Unia trade union, higher wages must be paid in seven sectors than is regulated in national collective labor agreements. The hairdressing industry, the catering industry and employees in gas station stores are affected.

Federal Council against submission

However, the Federal Council is now calling on Parliament not to accept this proposal, as it believes it conflicts with several basic principles of the Swiss legal system, as stated in a statement on Wednesday.

The consultation will last until May 1. In the December 2022 National Council, Ettlin’s motion barely cleared the hurdle.

(SDA)

Source:Blick