ZURICH (Reuters) -Switzerland has adopted a package of measures to protect workers’ pay, the government said on Friday, potentially removing an important obstacle to the country approving a new agreement aimed at deepening ties with the European Union.
The measures will be included in a consultation draft for the EU agreement, after employers’ associations and trades unions and the cantons agreed to 13 steps to protect high wages in Switzerland from being undercut by EU workers.
The Swiss government said it was also proposing a further measure to add to the package that gives improved protection against dismissal for elected employee representatives.
Switzerland and the EU in December unveiled a deal to overhaul their trade ties, although there were major concerns from unions about Swiss wages coming under pressure.
The measures are aimed mainly at EU-based firms which set up operations in Switzerland and intended to protect wages under the principal of equal pay for equal work in the same place.
They include an obligation for construction workers to wear ID cards with information on wages and working conditions, as well as safeguarding Swiss collective wage agreements.
Unia, the Swiss trade union, gave a cautious welcome to the wage agreement, which still has to pass through parliament, saying there was a real chance that if lawmakers passed it, unions would giving their backing to the EU agreement.
(Reporting by John RevillEditing by Dave Graham)
