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Today in Switzerland For Members

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Helena Bachmann
Helena Bachmann - [email protected]
Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
The new public subscription is intended for leisure travellers. Photo: Anna Shvets on Pexels

Latest strike news, how healthcare premiums affect household budgets, and other Swiss news in our roundup on Friday.

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Strike news: one is finished, and another about to begin

The two-day strike by Geneva’s public transport (TPG) is now finished, after the company’s management met the employees’ wage increase demands.

Regular bus and tram service has gradually resumed from Thursday afternoon.

In the meantime, SWISS pilots’ union, Aeropers, is maintaining its strike action announced for Monday, October 17th, unless a new collective labour agreement is negotiated before then between the pilots and the airline.

READ MORE: SWISS pilots threaten an October strike action
 

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Health premiums take up to 27 percent of household income

Normally, the cost of health insurance in Switzerland should not exceed 8 percent of a family or individual income.

However, according to a new study by the Federal Office of Public Health, households in certain Swiss regions spend between 14 and 27 percent of their earnings to pay for the obligatory  premiums.

The study was, however, carried out before the announcement in September that healthcare premiums for the compulsory (KVG / LaMal) coverage are set to rise by 6.6 percent on average in 2023 — and in some cantons by even more.

Such a hike is likely to further increase the portion of income households will have to pay for healthcare.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: Why are Swiss health insurance premiums set to rise?
 

Nearly 40 percent of Switzerland’s population has migration background

In Switzerland, 39 percent of the permanent resident population aged 15 or over — 2.9  million people — are either immigrants themselves or have a migration background, according to a study released on Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office.

Among the population with a migration background, nearly 80 percent were born abroad, while the remaining 20 percent were born in Switzerland to foreign parents.

The nationalities most represented among the population with a migration background are Italian, German, and Portuguese.

READ MORE: Where do Switzerland’s foreigners all live?

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A new ‘flexible’ public transport card to be launched

Faced with a decreasing number of Travelcard holders, the SwissPass Alliance, the branch organisation of public transport companies, has been looking for more flexible subscription models.

Its objective is to attract occasional and leisure travellers, rather than regular commuters for whom the GA Travelcard is intended.

The new subscription, called “Credit TP”, should be available some time in 2023, the SwissPass Alliance announced.

“There is currently a gap between the half-fare subscription and the GA Travelcard. The TP Credit should fill this gap”, the company said.

 

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

 

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