Switzerland/Agreement reached on a national agreement in the construction industry

An agreement has been reached for the renewal of the National Agreement for the main construction sector. It must now be submitted to the decision-making bodies of both parties.

The social partners have reached an agreement for the renewal of the national agreement for the main construction sector. From 1 January 2023, the effective wages should be increased by 150 francs and the minimum wages by 100 francs.

The new national agreement was concluded on Monday night "after intensive negotiations", the Swiss Contractors' Association (SSE) and the Unia and Syna trade unions said in a joint statement on Tuesday. It took nine rounds of negotiations to reach a solution. It will be valid for three years.

The agreement "provides for simplifications in the organization of working hours and improvements in order to increase the attractiveness of the sector," the social partners added. "Both parties have had to make concessions", they add.

As regards wages, the SSE had indicated last week that it had proposed a general increase of 150 francs per month, or 3.3% more for lower incomes, and an increase of 60 francs in the minimum wage. The workers' representatives are demanding an increase of 190 francs.

Working hours unchanged

The annual (2112 hours) and weekly working hours remain unchanged. In case of overtime, the two hours from the 48th will be paid with a supplement of 25%. The unions accused the SSE of seeking to extend the working week to 50 hours without paying overtime.

In the event of work interruptions due to heat or bad weather, the employer may now request that the related rest hours be considered as compensation for overtime worked.

The agreement also provides for "at least five days" of compensation. However, the existing regional schemes are not affected and further regulations can be drawn up to take account of regional conditions.

Source: www.lenouvelliste.ch/