Parties fight over reform of jobless scheme

A committee of centre-right and rightwing parties has called for a reform of the state unemployment scheme ahead of a nationwide vote on September 26.

Representatives of the five groups said the revised law was balanced and the planned cuts in unemployment benefits were justified to secure the future of the scheme.

Parliamentarians of the Radicals, the Christian Democrats, the Conservative Democrats, the Liberal Greens and the Swiss People’s Party warned a rejection of the reform would lead to a considerable increase in salary deductions to shore up the jobless scheme.

“Additional revenue of SFr650 million ($620 million) and spending cuts of SFr620 million will help reduce the debts and avoid further deficits,” said Urs Hany, a Christian Democrat, on Monday.

The centre-left Social Democrats and trade unions which are forcing a referendum said the reform came at the expense of the younger generation and put the burden on welfare services.

They added that supporters of the reform are spending millions of francs on a campaign to secure the privileges of high-salary earners.

Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch