Swiss to vote on $25 minimum wage

[Stuart G]

Source: USA Today

GENEVA, Switzerland – A vote on Sunday to establish a minimum wage of $25 an hour would make mostly immigrants here in agriculture, housekeeping, and catering among the world's highest paid unskilled workforce.

The vote comes after hundreds of fast-food workers walked off their jobs in many U.S. cities and in more than 30 countries on Thursday in a protest for higher wages. If the Swiss proposal passes, the country would have the highest minimum wage in the world.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/05/16/swiss-minimum-wage/9166687/

[geardaddy]

1. Time to move.

[LovingA2andMI]

10. Say that again....

Maybe we need to pack up the stuff and move to Switzerland, ASAP!

[FrodosPet]

18. LOL! If only it were that easy!

http://www.admin.ch/aktuell/00726/00727/index.html?lang=en

FAQ: Implementing the new constitutional provisions on immigration

The Swiss population adopted a popular initiative aimed at stopping mass immigration on 9 February 2014. It thereby expressed its support for a change of system in Switzerland’s immigration policy. The new constitutional provisions require that immigration be restricted by means of quantitative limits and quotas. The Federal Council will set to work on implementing these without delay. Until the relevant implementing legislation comes into force, the free movement of persons between the EU and EFTA member states and Switzerland applies as before.

-------------------------------------------------------

https://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/dam/data/bfm/broschuere-bfm-e.pdf

Foreigners and asylum seekers in Switzerland

~ snip ~

Did you know that ...
... a significant portion of foreign nationals residing in Switzerland belong to the second or even
third generation? Around a quarter of these foreign nationals were born here and over half
have been living in Switzerland for ten years or more.

... over the last few years, the largest group of immigrants to Switzerland have been German
nationals? Together with Portuguese nationals, they account for half of all foreign nationals
newly immigrating to Switzerland.

... on average, foreign nationals earn around 17 % less than Swiss nationals?

~ snip ~

Entry and residence
Third-state nationals

Restrictions apply on the issuance of permits to third-state nationals
(i.e. from non-EU/EFTA member states). Only highly qualified third-state nationals are authorised to work in Switzerland and the number of permits issued is limited by quotas. Under certain conditions, third-state nationals may remain in Switzerland without carrying out any economic activities (e.g. retirement, studies).

~ snip ~

Third-state nationals:
Only highly qualified third-state nationals are authorised to work in Switzerland and the number of permits issued is subject to quotas. Eligible third-state nationals mainly include holders of a higher education qualification with several years of work experience. The Federal Council determines quota levels each year. Highly qualified third-state nationals may also be issued a permit if no one else with similar qualifications can be found on either the Swiss labour market or on the EU/EFTA labour market. When hiring, priority is given to Swiss nationals, foreign nationals with a settlement permit (C permit), foreign nationals with a standard residence/work permit (B permit) and foreign nationals of a country that has entered into an agreement with Switzerland on the free movement of persons (currently only the EU and EFTA). Salaries, social insurance contributions and working conditions for foreign nationals must match local conditions for the given occupation, profession and branch.

~ snip ~

-------------------------------------------------------

The key to moving to Europe for an American is you either have to be pretty high level in qualifications or have a boat load of money. In either case, a $25 an hour minimum wage is irrelevant other than making stuff more expensive for you.

[whopis01]

17. Not so quick - they rejected it and have no minimum wage. n/t

[Ash_F]

2. Good for them. /nt

[jberryhill]

3. Why would they pay it in dollars?

[former9thward]

20. They don't.

They pay in francs (22 an hour or 4000 a month). USA Today is just giving the equivalent for U.S. readers.

[jberryhill]

24. I was being less than Franc

[cvoogt]

4. and...

why would they do it in reaction to the US protests? I guess "USA Today" means all articles must be written from a US-centric point of view. It's funny how the article tries to make the Swiss minimum wage hike relate to the US when it has nothing to do with it. And the Swiss cost of living is sky-high... $25/hr will make that livable, barely.

[uhnope]

5. Actually, cost of living is sky-high in Geneva, so you would be scraping by on this

[dipsydoodle]

6. To live in Switerland you'd need a $25 minimum wage.

.

[Fumesucker]

7. I wonder what the copays and deductibles are on their insurance plans?

[dipsydoodle]

12. See here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Switzerland

Sounds a bit like the system in the Netherlands. You'd be unable to compare almost any of Europe's different universal healthcare systems with that of the USA least of all the UK's.

[Doctor_J]

13. Seems to be rather low. I wonder why. Oops. Here it is

Insurers are required to offer this basic insurance to everyone, regardless of age or medical condition. They are not allowed to make a profit off this basic insurance,

Unlike the 500 billion dollars profit, every year, that is built into our "system" by the ACA.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. Money goes far in Zurich and Geneva

Money goes far in Zurich and Geneva

Zurich and Geneva residents face some of the steepest bills in the world for goods and services but high wages give them more purchasing power than any other city.

The UBS Prices and Earnings study throws up the interesting statistic that people in the two Swiss cities must work around 15 minutes to buy a Big Mac burger compared with a global average of 35 minutes.

The latest such survey by Switzerland's biggest bank compares wages and the price of 122 domestic products and services in 71 cities on all continents. Goods include food, drink, clothing, rent and heating bills, while services encompass medication, haircuts and a trip to the cinema.

Zurich maintains its top place in the purchasing power charts since the last survey in 2003, but slips from pole position to third in the earnings tables behind the Danish and Norwegian capitals, Copenhagen and Oslo. It also climbs one place to become the fourth priciest city in the world....

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/archive/Money_goes_far_in_Zurich_and_Geneva.html?cid=5370550

So as a tourist or ex-pat retiree it would be hideously expensive in those cities but as a local working stiff, not so much.

[malthaussen]

11. That's the way cost of living should be judged.

I've always thought that monetary valuation is broken now, if it ever really did work. The real question always seemed to be to me: how much of your life do you have to give up for this living expense? "Time is money." Which is one of the great benefits of being rich: you get to avoid standing in queues and can pay people to take care of routine stuff for you, so you have more time to do the stuff you want. The downside would be how long it takes you to count your money...

-- Mal

[YOHABLO]

9. What are the laws on work permits and visas? Citizenship is out of the question.

[FrodosPet]

19. Posted some links above

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014805359#post18

I have researched moving to Europe and Canada. It is NOT easy. You need a vital job skill that they cannot fulfill locally or from other EU members, or you need a phat bank you can live off of.

[Doctor_J]

14. WE can't even get a vote on a paltry $10.10 minimum wage

I wonder if we're going to fight back during my lifetime (about 15 more years)??

[Reter]

15. It would be nice if we did too

Prices would go up a bit in stores and restaurants but big deal. Small price to pay.

[Eugene]

16. Switzerland 'rejects world's highest minimum wage'

Source: BBC

18 May 2014 Last updated at 11:16 GMT

Switzerland 'rejects world's highest minimum wage'

Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to introduce what would be the highest minimum wage in the world in a referendum, first projections indicate.

Under the plan, employers would have had to pay workers a minimum 22 Swiss francs (about $25; £15; 18 euros) an hour.

Supporters said the move was necessary for people to live a decent life.

But critics argued that it would raise production costs and increase unemployment.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27459178

[etherealtruth]

21. What is the cost of living there?

That is probably the most relevant issue?

I think it is very relevant in the US as well ... minimum wage needs to be associated with the cost of living $15 dollars an hour in the US midwest does not have the same "value" as $15 dollars in NYC, DC or LA

[dipsydoodle]

22. Figures here for comparison.

Consumer Prices in United States are 46.82% lower than in Switzerland
Consumer Prices Including Rent in United States are 45.79% lower than in Switzerland
Rent Prices in United States are 43.33% lower than in Switzerland
Restaurant Prices in United States are 54.10% lower than in Switzerland
Groceries Prices in United States are 44.33% lower than in Switzerland
Local Purchasing Power in United States is 6.07% lower than in Switzerland

More here : http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=Switzerland&country2=United+States

[etherealtruth]

23. Thanks

I hope my post did not imply that I am against significant raises to the minimum wage ... I just think a one size fits all wage hike will leave many folk (especially those on the east and west coasts) out in the cold