Switzerland - EU Swiss Federation of Trade Unions sets out demands for bilateral agreements

SDA

31.1.2025 - 16:16

SGB President Pierre-Yves Maillard welcoming trade union delegates in Bern on Friday.
SGB President Pierre-Yves Maillard welcoming trade union delegates in Bern on Friday.
Keystone

The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) has drawn up a series of demands that must be met in order to say yes to the new bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU. On Friday, the trade union federation adopted the demands.

Keystone-SDA

At an extraordinary meeting in Bern, the SGB delegates clearly approved the corresponding resolution. The SGB now wants to introduce the demands into the domestic political discussions that will follow the negotiations between the EU and Switzerland that were concluded in December.

The trade union federation is demanding, for example, that foreign primary companies should pay fines for subcontractors if they have not first checked that the subcontractors pay Swiss wages. The SGB also wants renegotiations with the EU on expense regulations.

The SGB resolution states that it supports Switzerland opening up to the EU. However, the available information unfortunately shows that the bilateral agreements would jeopardize wage protection and public services in Switzerland.