Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Swiss employees will not get an extra week of vacation time; Migros recalls its contaminated baked goods; and other news in our roundup on Thursday.
Swiss employees will not get more vacation time
The proposal of left-wing MPs to extend the current statuary vacation from four to five weeks a year was vetoed by the National Council on Wednesday.
Deputies said there is no evidence that longer holidays reduce work-related stress, as supporters of the move have argued.
Opponents also pointed out that Swiss voters had already rejected a proposal for six-week vacations in a 2012 referendum because such a move could harm the economy.
Under current legislation, employers must give workers a minimum of four weeks of vacation each year, though many companies offer more than the legal minimum; the exact number of days or weeks is outlined in an employment contract.READ MORE: Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerlandhttps://www.thelocal.ch/20210827/everything-you-need-to-know-about-annual-leave-in-switzerland
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerland
Massive recall: If you bought baked goods from Migros, read this
Contaminated water came into contact with various products on the premises of Migros’ bakery.
These baked goods were available in all Migros supermarkets in Switzerland, as well as online.
They have since been taken off the shelves, but Migros is urging customers who bought these products before they were withdrawn to return them for a refund.
You can recognie these baked goods by their expiry date, as this tweet explains:
Aufgrund eines Fehlers in der Produktion beim Migros-Industrie-Betrieb FFB-Group (vormals JOWA) ist kontaminiertes Wasser in einige Produkte gelangt. Als Vorsichtsmassnahme bittet die Migros ihre Kund*innen, betroffene Produkte nicht zu verzehren. https://t.co/sWGvV047wE pic.twitter.com/LtC2sFNqBX
— Migros (@migros) March 15, 2023
The company said what while the contaminated products are unlikely to cause any side effects in adults, a risk to young children can’t be ruled out.
In Lausanne, foreign population growth outpaces the Swiss
Some interesting information can be gleaned from new studies carried out by the city.
For instance, the number foreign nationals moving to Lausanne has increased more rapidly than that of Swiss.
Another fact that distinguishes Lausanne from other large Swiss cities is the number of young residents.
People under the age of 20 account for about 20 percent of the population, which is higher than in Geneva and Zurich (17.9 and 17.8.percent, respectively), and Basel and Bern (about 17 percent each).
READ MORE: Why the Swiss city of Lausanne is so popular among foreigners
Zurich sends its old trams to Ukraine
In June 2021, Zurich’s public transport company VBZ, along with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), agreed to send 35 trams manufactured between 1976 and 1992 to the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia.
The delivery was suspended when the war erupted, but now the first eight trams are ready for shipment to the Ukrainian border, VBZ said on Wednesday.
While no longer used in Zurich, the revamped trams can continue running for 12 to 15 more years, the company said.
Covid anniversary: Three years ago, Switzerland declared a state of emergency
This is not really 'news’ but rather a past event, but it is worth mentioning that today marks exactly three years since the Swiss government had declared a state of emergency in a bid to combat the emerging coronavirus pandemic.
On March 16th, 2020, all shops, restaurants, bars, as well as entertainment and leisure facilities were ordered to close, with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies and health facilities.
That event marked the beginning of confinement, border closures, health crisis, and a slew of restrictions that had lasted, off and on, until the tide of infections started to wane after vaccines were rolled out in late 2021 / early 2022.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Switzerland declares state of emergency over coronavirus
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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Swiss employees will not get more vacation time
The proposal of left-wing MPs to extend the current statuary vacation from four to five weeks a year was vetoed by the National Council on Wednesday.
Deputies said there is no evidence that longer holidays reduce work-related stress, as supporters of the move have argued.
Opponents also pointed out that Swiss voters had already rejected a proposal for six-week vacations in a 2012 referendum because such a move could harm the economy.
Under current legislation, employers must give workers a minimum of four weeks of vacation each year, though many companies offer more than the legal minimum; the exact number of days or weeks is outlined in an employment contract.READ MORE: Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerlandhttps://www.thelocal.ch/20210827/everything-you-need-to-know-about-annual-leave-in-switzerland
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about annual leave in Switzerland
Massive recall: If you bought baked goods from Migros, read this
Contaminated water came into contact with various products on the premises of Migros’ bakery.
These baked goods were available in all Migros supermarkets in Switzerland, as well as online.
They have since been taken off the shelves, but Migros is urging customers who bought these products before they were withdrawn to return them for a refund.
You can recognie these baked goods by their expiry date, as this tweet explains:
Aufgrund eines Fehlers in der Produktion beim Migros-Industrie-Betrieb FFB-Group (vormals JOWA) ist kontaminiertes Wasser in einige Produkte gelangt. Als Vorsichtsmassnahme bittet die Migros ihre Kund*innen, betroffene Produkte nicht zu verzehren. https://t.co/sWGvV047wE pic.twitter.com/LtC2sFNqBX
— Migros (@migros) March 15, 2023
The company said what while the contaminated products are unlikely to cause any side effects in adults, a risk to young children can’t be ruled out.
In Lausanne, foreign population growth outpaces the Swiss
Some interesting information can be gleaned from new studies carried out by the city.
For instance, the number foreign nationals moving to Lausanne has increased more rapidly than that of Swiss.
Another fact that distinguishes Lausanne from other large Swiss cities is the number of young residents.
People under the age of 20 account for about 20 percent of the population, which is higher than in Geneva and Zurich (17.9 and 17.8.percent, respectively), and Basel and Bern (about 17 percent each).
READ MORE: Why the Swiss city of Lausanne is so popular among foreigners
Zurich sends its old trams to Ukraine
In June 2021, Zurich’s public transport company VBZ, along with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), agreed to send 35 trams manufactured between 1976 and 1992 to the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia.
The delivery was suspended when the war erupted, but now the first eight trams are ready for shipment to the Ukrainian border, VBZ said on Wednesday.
While no longer used in Zurich, the revamped trams can continue running for 12 to 15 more years, the company said.
Covid anniversary: Three years ago, Switzerland declared a state of emergency
This is not really 'news’ but rather a past event, but it is worth mentioning that today marks exactly three years since the Swiss government had declared a state of emergency in a bid to combat the emerging coronavirus pandemic.
On March 16th, 2020, all shops, restaurants, bars, as well as entertainment and leisure facilities were ordered to close, with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies and health facilities.
That event marked the beginning of confinement, border closures, health crisis, and a slew of restrictions that had lasted, off and on, until the tide of infections started to wane after vaccines were rolled out in late 2021 / early 2022.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Switzerland declares state of emergency over coronavirus
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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