Low wages – “I only earn 19.24 francs gross per hour”

19.40 francs gross per hour, that’s a cheek – the HR experts involved agreed on this in the 20-minute live talk last Thursday (see video below). But it goes even deeper: “I only earn 19.24 francs gross per hour,” says News-Scout K. to 20 Minuten.

He works for a private security company in the canton of Zurich. Getting a wage increase is impossible. Because there are no real annual meetings in the company, as K. explains.

Such low wages are not prohibited. There is no statutory minimum wage in Switzerland. For certain industries, lower wage limits apply, which are set out in collective bargaining agreements (GAV). Otherwise the following applies: wages must correspond to the local, industry and occupational conditions, as stated by the Unia.

However, some cantons have introduced statutory minimum wages. Like Geneva. There has been a minimum wage of CHF 23.14 per hour since 2021. Ticino has also had a minimum wage of 19 francs this year, while in Basel-Stadt a minimum wage of 21 francs was accepted at the ballot box.

In Neuchâtel and Jura, there has been a lower wage limit of 20.08 francs and 20 francs per hour, respectively, since 2017. “This is a start, but Unia is committed to ensuring that low wages are no longer paid in all of Switzerland,” explains a media spokesman. According to Unia, a decent wage should be at least CHF 22 per hour or CHF 4,000 per month.

HR expert Ursula Bergundthal also finds an hourly wage below 20 francs unacceptable: “In Switzerland, the cost of living is simply extremely high. With such a low wage you can hardly cover the running costs and there is a high risk of getting into debt at some point. “

But simply canceling is not a solution either, because you should first have an alternative. Often those affected lack the necessary training, professional experience or language skills. “But I advise looking around for a job that pays better,” says Bergundthal.

If that is not possible, it is important to acquire new qualifications. If there is a lack of language skills, those affected should definitely invest time, advises the HR expert. “Because anyone who does not speak the national language does not understand the rules and rights and runs the risk of being exploited.”

If there is a lack of training, those affected should rely on experience and take on new tasks internally. “Anyone who works in a retailer’s warehouse, for example, should try to help out at the cash register,” says Bergundthal. It could be that the person acquires new experiences that enable a better-paying job in the medium term.

It is important that the experience gained is verifiable. Such assignments should therefore be mentioned in the job reference. “In principle, however, it is difficult to get a better job if the required training is missing.”