Swiss voters set to give helping hand to nurses

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Care personnel in Swiss hospitals and homes feels stressed in their jobs and many say they are underpaid. Gaëtan Bally/Keystone

Healthcare personnel in Switzerland can hope for a boost on Sunday when voters decide on a proposal to improve working conditions for nurses.

Worked in radio and newspaper journalism, as well as teaching and tourism before joining swissinfo.ch's predecessor Swiss Radio International in the 1980s. He reports from parliament, and focuses on direct democracy issues.

More from this author | English Department

The people's initiative wants the national and cantonal governments to address a long-standing shortage of nursing staff, easing their workload and raising their professional status.

The proposal by the country's nursing association collected enough signatures for a nationwide vote on the issue on November 28.

The supporters argue it takes a written commitment - enshrined in the country's constitution – to improve the current situation in the healthcare sector.

The government and a majority of parliament have come out against the proposal. Instead, they want to spend CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) over the next eight years to improve the training of nurses to ensure high quality standards.

Working conditions must be regulated by employers and employees by the 26 cantons and not in constitutional amendment, they argue.

“The funds for an education offensive are available,” said Interior Minister Alain Berset and the measures could be implemented quickly.

However, the nurses' association as well as left-wing political parties and trade unions demand collective work contracts, more staff in hospitals and care homes as well as more family-friendly conditions in the health sector to prevent nurses from quitting their jobs after just a few years of professional experience.

There are currently more than 11,000 vacancies in the Swiss healthcare sector according to the campaigners. An additional 70,000 nurses are needed by 2029 to secure the healthcare system in Switzerland, they claim.

“It's not enough to clap hands,” the supporters of the initiative said in a reference to a public action last year when people were asked to express their thanks for the health workers during the Covid crisis.

Opinion polls suggest the 'nurses initiative' will win the upper hand on Sunday as the nursing crisis seems to be largely accepted as a fact, said Lukas Golder, political scientist and co-director of the GfS Bern research instituteExternal link .

More

One of democracy's fundamental pillars is under attack, and under scrutiny, across the world.

He also pointed out that the initiative is likely to benefit from the heightened awareness of the importance of the healthcare sector during the Covid crisis even though the proposal was launched and debated in parliament before the pandemic.

Campaigning for and against the 'nurses initiative' was clearly marked by the pandemic and its was to a certain extent sidelined by a highly divisive political battle about the legal basis of the Covid certificate in Switzerland – another issue to come to a vote on November 28.

Approval of a people's initiatives – a key element of Switzerland's system of direct democracy - is exceptional. So far only 23 proposals have won majorities over the past 130 years.

Golder also said it would be the first time for a specific professional group of employees to win a nationwide ballot and be protected by the constitution.

Family doctors withdrew an initiative calling for state support to improve their working conditions following parliament's approval of a plan to boost basic medical services in the country. In 2014 voters endorsed the parliamentary decision in a nationwide vote about a special clause in the country's constitution.

Three issues are on the ballot sheets on Sunday: Voters decide on the legal basis for the use of a Covid certificate and financial support for companies and individuals hard hit by restrictions due to the pandemic.

Besides the 'nurses initiative', a separate proposal to reform the election procedure for judges at the country's supreme court also comes to a vote.

About 5.5 million Swiss citizens, including registered Swiss expats around the world can participate in the ballots.

It is the fourth and final set of nationwide votes in Switzerland this year.

Numerous ballots are also scheduled at a cantonal and local levels on Sunday.

Articles in this story

• A global stress test for freedom of expression

MENAFN27112021000210011054ID1103261297