Almost 10% of workers in Switzerland have no job security. Women and unskilled workers are especially subject to precarious conditions of work. This is affirmed by a report issued by Swiss Caritas, and presented in Bern in recent days. Out of 4,200,000 workers in Switzerland, over 430,000 are in a situation of precariousness. “We don’t reject out of hand flexibility in labour relations says Jurg Krummenacher, director of Swiss Caritas because it undoubtedly brings benefits for some workers. For example for some women flexibility means being able to hold a job while continuing to look after their family”. But, he continues, in actual fact flexibility benefits only “workers who possess professional qualifications”. For others, a flexible labour relation is tantamount to “insecurity and precariousness”. For these reasons Swiss Caritas proposes that “all the forms of labour relation be regulated by collective contracts or conventions” and asks the State to make a greater commitment to the “ongoing training” and qualification of workers.
