Swiss temporary workers are to receive a temporary bargaining agreement for the first time, after years of waiting for such a ruling.

The new regulations came into effect in the country on January 1st, and will be to the benefit of the estimated 300,000 workers in temporary positions across the country, while also giving clearer guidelines to employers.

Under the agreement, temporary workers under the age of 50 will be given clear 42 hour working weeks, as well as a minimum wage set in stone, and five weeks holiday every year.

This is expected to benefit workers and employers alike, as employers will be able to get better trained employees from agencies to work for them on a temporary basis.

Renzo Ambrosetti, co-president of Unia, Switzerland’s largest trade union told Swissinfo.ch that these new measures would help to alleviate problems in the country such as wage dumping, while protecting those who are in the positions.

As one of its initiators, Randstad Switzerland has been involved in making the agreement a reality.

Posted by Alex Donnell