Businesses want to counter the labour shortage problem by bringing in longer working days – but unions are against the move.
It’s estimated there are around 120,000 unfilled job positions in the country - and that’s thought to only to get worse over the next few years.
The worker shortage is being exacerbated by people choosing to work fewer hours and taking more vacations, says the Swiss Employers’ Association.
They say there should be more options for flexible working hours and the tax situation for married couples should be changed as it disincentivises work. If couples were taxed at the same rate as individuals, it could bring in 60,000 new workers.
But the Swiss Trades Union Federation says the answer is not making workers work more. But conditions need to be improved and wage increases will help to fill the shortage.
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