...rich people's problems... right?

You are joking right!!!! or were you in the UK many years ago? The cost of living in the UK is ridiculous now, and wages have hardly moved in the past 5 years.
My work-life balance is far better now, although a shift worker I now do a 40 hour week for more than double the wage I got in the UK, where I might add, as a shift worker there I had to keep doing overtime to make ends meet and frequently worked a 60 > 72 hour week.
Give me Switzerland over the UK anyday.

Huh, what are you on about?

Staff = employees.

Of which I am one (and not in management, etc., though we have no management, nor HR).

Tom

Why in the hell aren't they going for 5 weeks across the board ???

Seems more beneficial to the majority I think. In construction we get 5 weeks and it is for me just the right amount.

Mrs C however gets just 4 weeks, meaning I have to meet up with mates over in London without her....

This is a great stress on my liver and cholesterol levels...

5 weeks holidays would probably see me living 10 years more in the end...

I've always had 5 weeks (in Switzerland, certainly not in the US), but that was because that's what my first (Swiss) employer gave me, and later because that's what I asked for when I moved down here 22 years ago.

Tom

shiesh, you guys had fun in the sandpit today didn't you?

I can still feel the heat from those angry fingers tap-tap-tapping away on your iposhs

Oh, to appreciate the little things in life.. like having a paid job, and paid vacation. But I guess thats another thread.

I suspect people will end up with less pay as a result, rather like reduced hours working. In the end there is no free lunch!

I'd be happy with 5 weeks!

We actually get 5 weeks vacation, plus the week between Xmas and New Year (not counted as vacation).

I do believe that we are working "ourselves to death", the future health costs due to e.g. burn-out will be unbearable. So this is a definately a step in the right direction, next step will be to reduce work time...lets say to 6 hours / day, I rather spend more time with my family then my co-workers, who doesn't?

I would like to have as much vacation as they have in school =)

many years ago it was the same, but then they talked about "why vacation at all"...why only work 5 days / week...etc...

Working efficiently is the key word, not the amout of time...but we all know that don't we?

yes I know, isn't scary? more free time - HELL NO!!!

work more efficient...plan better etc....there are tons of methods to use your time which you have available...it's just lazy companies who don't see this...and in the end they have to pay huge buck-load of money due to stressed out people...it's crazy-simple!!!!

I'm rather envious of supporters of this initiative, who must have very secure jobs in stable industries.

Unfortunatley, many in of our circle of friends are rather more worried that they will soon have the opportunity to take quite a bit more than six weeks' holiday...

...as their companies are under intense cost pressure. Any job that can be done outside Switzerland is now fair game to move to lower cost countries.

I'd be just a tad hesitant to do anything that would make the Swiss labor market any less competitive than it already is...

It won't make any difference to me if this goes through. Instead of having 2 weeks holiday left over at the end of the year, I'll have 4 weeks left over.

Those that worry about the how Swiss employers might react to 2 weeks extra holiday might be right.

In my last job (in a small company) the boss preferred not to employ Swiss guys based purely on the fact that they would be away for military service a few weeks a year.

Also for us foreigners that don't have to do military service the 4 weeks feels a lot more harsh. Swiss guys get more of a break than us foreigners anyway (yes I know you guys just play drücklikashter rather than actually play soldiers).

I will ask my Swiss wife to vote yes for sure.

Originally was 1 week and then naturally everybody was shocked at the thought of two. Its the same neurosis in thinking now. People simply cannot accommodate themselves to changes. And they don't know how to deal with more free time. It makes people nervous.

Yeah right it could not be the thought of having to cover another full-time position for the additional one or two weeks per year.

Must be nice to have a TEAM (Toll, Ein Anderer Machts) like that, although that could be just my jealousy speaking up

I think they should have 3 options. No change, 1 week extra, 2 weeks extra.

Then voters get what they voted for - keeps everyone happy!

Yes. And was it any different when they went from 1 to 2 weeks or from 2 weeks to four. Profit motive thats all.

Sorry mate, I wouldn't know - I'm not THAT old yet...