Jura parliament finally agrees minimum wage of 20 francs per hour
The Local - [email protected] •
23 Nov, 2017
Updated Thu 23 Nov 2017 10:42 CEST
After four years of debate, the Jura cantonal parliament voted on Wednesday to adopt a minimum wage of 20 francs an hour.
The canton is finally a step closer to realising a project that started in 2013 when residents of the Jura voted in favour of an initiative proposing a minimum wage.
Since then the Jura parliament has twice refused to discuss the issue before it was forced to by the cantonal constitutional court, according to news agency ATS.
In this second reading of the bill, MPs also voted to raise the Jura government’s suggested minimum from 19.25 francs to 20 francs an hour.
“The amount of 20 francs equates to the minimum needed to allow an adult living alone to cover their basic needs,” MP Ivan Godat told ATS.
Employers will have two years to conform to the new law, which will not apply to trainees.
The move makes Jura the second canton in Switzerland to adopt a minimum wage after Neuchâtel in 2013 settled on 20 francs an hour.
However the introduction of Neuchâtel’s new law was held up by litigation after it was challenged in Switzerland’s highest court by a group of private organizations and private individuals.
In August this year the Swiss Federal Court rejected the challenge, saying a 20-franc minimum wage conformed to federal law.
Switzerland has no federal minimum wage, having overwhelmingly rejected the idea in a 2014 referendum.
However that doesn’t stop cantons tackling the issue themselves.
After Neuchâtel and Jura, the canton of Ticino could become the third canton to introduce a minimum wage after residents voted in favour of the idea in 2015.
A minimum wage of 20 francs an hour (currently 17 euros) is far higher than elsewhere in Europe and North America.
Germany's minimum wage for 2017 is 8.84 euros per hour, while the UK's is £7.50 (8.20 euros). The US federal hourly minimum is currently $7.25 (6.1 euros), though many states have set higher rates.
READ ALSO: Swiss say no thanks to basic income for all
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The canton is finally a step closer to realising a project that started in 2013 when residents of the Jura voted in favour of an initiative proposing a minimum wage.
Since then the Jura parliament has twice refused to discuss the issue before it was forced to by the cantonal constitutional court, according to news agency ATS.
In this second reading of the bill, MPs also voted to raise the Jura government’s suggested minimum from 19.25 francs to 20 francs an hour.
“The amount of 20 francs equates to the minimum needed to allow an adult living alone to cover their basic needs,” MP Ivan Godat told ATS.
Employers will have two years to conform to the new law, which will not apply to trainees.
The move makes Jura the second canton in Switzerland to adopt a minimum wage after Neuchâtel in 2013 settled on 20 francs an hour.
However the introduction of Neuchâtel’s new law was held up by litigation after it was challenged in Switzerland’s highest court by a group of private organizations and private individuals.
In August this year the Swiss Federal Court rejected the challenge, saying a 20-franc minimum wage conformed to federal law.
Switzerland has no federal minimum wage, having overwhelmingly rejected the idea in a 2014 referendum.
However that doesn’t stop cantons tackling the issue themselves.
After Neuchâtel and Jura, the canton of Ticino could become the third canton to introduce a minimum wage after residents voted in favour of the idea in 2015.
A minimum wage of 20 francs an hour (currently 17 euros) is far higher than elsewhere in Europe and North America.
Germany's minimum wage for 2017 is 8.84 euros per hour, while the UK's is £7.50 (8.20 euros). The US federal hourly minimum is currently $7.25 (6.1 euros), though many states have set higher rates.
READ ALSO: Swiss say no thanks to basic income for all
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