Swiss Voters Snub Chance For Longer Paid Vacations

Voters in Switzerland have rejected an opportunity to extend their annual paid vacation days from the government-mandated minimum of four weeks to a union-backed proposal of six weeks – with more than 67 percent of the population voting against the initiative during a national referendum held on Sunday.

Voters in Switzerland have rejected an opportunity to extend their annual paid vacation days from the government-mandated minimum of four weeks to a union-backed proposal of six weeks – with more than 67 percent of the population voting against the initiative during a national referendum held on Sunday.

According to a report by the Associated Press, the trade union Travail.Suisse brought forward its proposal to the Swiss government nearly two years ago, after arguing that the presently mandated four weeks leave was insufficient due to the increasing pressures felt by workers in recent years.

Travail.Suisse also collected over 125,000 signatures to demand a vote to amend the minimum vacation quota, with Swiss law requiring citizens to vote for any issue that 100,000 citizens say they feel strongly about.

But, the Swiss government and business groups – who were adamantly against the proposal – managed somehow to convince the population that such a proposal would ultimately hurt the nation’s overall economy, citing increased labour costs to have the potential to dull the nation’s global competitiveness.

“In rejecting the initiative, citizens have kept a sense of reality,” said Hans-Ulrich Bigler, director of the Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts, which represents around 300,000 businesses.

[quote]The referendum, he said in a statement, could have added 6 billion francs ($6.52 billion) a year in labour costs to the Swiss economy, but the vote “clearly shows that the population continues to focus on individual freedom and responsibility of citizens.”[/quote]

Still, Travail.Suisse expressed disappointment at the results, accusing the government and business-groups of “fear-mongering”, particularly during a time as serious economic concerns continue to surround the eurozone debt crisis.

“For many voters, it was understandable that current concerns about their own jobs took precedence over the long-term welfare of people and Swiss business,” said Travail.Suisse in a statement quoted by Reuters.

[quote]”With their fear-mongering campaign, the opponents of the initiative played with the uncertainty of workers.”[/quote]

One such element of the campaign included a television ad, run by Swiss employers, which depicted a neglected surgery patient who finds a Post-it note stuck on a medical monitor saying there was a staff shortage because of new vacation rules.

Posters were also found in train stations, airports and public places warning that more vacation days would mean fewer jobs.

But, some analysts have also pointed to the reputation of the Swiss working class – known for their efficiency and hard work – as another potential reason for why the initiative failed to gain popular support.

Related: Switzerland Economy

Related: Switzerland Economic Structure

In 2002, Swiss voters had already rejected a proposal to cut their working hour from 42 to 36 hours each week, while the average Swiss holiday entitlement is already around five weeks, with many firms offering more than the statutory minimum.