Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Threats of strikes in France and Germany in coming days to impact Switzerland; Swiss party seeks to combine the country's three pension pillars and crate just one; and more news in our roundup on Monday.
French train strike is finished but another one is under way
The industrial action by train conductors, which significantly disrupted rail traffic in France from Thursday until this morning, impacted Switzerland as well with the cancellation of some TGV trains between the two countries.
But the lull may be short-lasting; depending on how the negotiation between the conductors' union and the management plays out, the employees already have another strike in the works for next weekend.
In the meantime, across another border, in Germany, Verdi union called on Lufthansa's ground staff to stage a walkout on Tuesday in seven airports, including Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin.
This industrial action will also affect air traffic between Switzerland and Germany.
Left-wing party wants for consolidate pension scheme for better income
Switzerland’s pension system is based on three pillars, each providing an income stream for retirees — the amount depending on wages, length of employment, and savings plans.
However, to eliminate pension disparities, the Young Socialists party is proposing to combine the three pillars into one, state-run scheme, with every retiree receiving 5,000 francs a month.
To achieve this, the second and third pillars must be abolished within the next 10 years and their resources re-allocated to the first one, the party said.
READ ALSO: Will you be able to live comfortably on your Swiss pension?
Anti-Swiss bias: Hotel booking site charges more for reservations from Switzerland
Booking.com, a popular platform for hotel reservations, charges Swiss customers more than people in other countries, a new study revealed.
Specifically, it showed that if the platform detects that a booking is made from Switzerland, prices quoted are up to 27 percent higher than the same hotel room on the same dates being reserved from another country.
The Federal Price Monitoring Office is taking these revelations very seriously.
“Clearly, the hotels in question are taking advantage of the fact that the Swiss are more willing to pay,” a spokesperson said. “Asking Swiss customers to pay more for identical offers could constitute an infringement of the federal law against unfair competition.”
The number of scabies cases in Switzerland is on the rise
Scabies, an infestation of the skin by the itch mite, has been increasing in recent years, with Swiss hospitals registering more patients with this condition going in for treatment.
The exact numbers of those affected is not known, however,
That's because scabies is not a reportable disease, so there is no official data about it.
There are various reasons why an increase in scabies cases is observed, according to Christian Greis, chief dermatologist at the University Hospital Zurich.
“We all travel more, and stay in more hotels,” he said. “Migration is also a contributory factor."
"The scabies infection is not dangerous, but affected people usually suffer from severe itching, burning and eczema on the affected areas of skin,” he added.
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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French train strike is finished but another one is under way
The industrial action by train conductors, which significantly disrupted rail traffic in France from Thursday until this morning, impacted Switzerland as well with the cancellation of some TGV trains between the two countries.
But the lull may be short-lasting; depending on how the negotiation between the conductors' union and the management plays out, the employees already have another strike in the works for next weekend.
In the meantime, across another border, in Germany, Verdi union called on Lufthansa's ground staff to stage a walkout on Tuesday in seven airports, including Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin.
This industrial action will also affect air traffic between Switzerland and Germany.
Left-wing party wants for consolidate pension scheme for better income
Switzerland’s pension system is based on three pillars, each providing an income stream for retirees — the amount depending on wages, length of employment, and savings plans.
However, to eliminate pension disparities, the Young Socialists party is proposing to combine the three pillars into one, state-run scheme, with every retiree receiving 5,000 francs a month.
To achieve this, the second and third pillars must be abolished within the next 10 years and their resources re-allocated to the first one, the party said.
READ ALSO: Will you be able to live comfortably on your Swiss pension?
Anti-Swiss bias: Hotel booking site charges more for reservations from Switzerland
Booking.com, a popular platform for hotel reservations, charges Swiss customers more than people in other countries, a new study revealed.
Specifically, it showed that if the platform detects that a booking is made from Switzerland, prices quoted are up to 27 percent higher than the same hotel room on the same dates being reserved from another country.
The Federal Price Monitoring Office is taking these revelations very seriously.
“Clearly, the hotels in question are taking advantage of the fact that the Swiss are more willing to pay,” a spokesperson said. “Asking Swiss customers to pay more for identical offers could constitute an infringement of the federal law against unfair competition.”
The number of scabies cases in Switzerland is on the rise
Scabies, an infestation of the skin by the itch mite, has been increasing in recent years, with Swiss hospitals registering more patients with this condition going in for treatment.
The exact numbers of those affected is not known, however,
That's because scabies is not a reportable disease, so there is no official data about it.
There are various reasons why an increase in scabies cases is observed, according to Christian Greis, chief dermatologist at the University Hospital Zurich.
“We all travel more, and stay in more hotels,” he said. “Migration is also a contributory factor."
"The scabies infection is not dangerous, but affected people usually suffer from severe itching, burning and eczema on the affected areas of skin,” he added.
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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