I expect all the rich armchair economists will now jump in and say they are suicidal, but have any of you tried to live on CHF 20,-- per hour?

Cleaning ladies get a minimum of CHF 23,-- / hour, everybody else has to rely on a contract with their employer, sometimes backed up with a general working contract (GAV) for the industry.

The Canton of Neuenberg / Neuchâtel has introduced a legal minimum wage of CHF 20.-- per hour. About 2'700 employees wil have their wages increased, back dated to 4th August 2017.

https://www.derbund.ch/schweiz/stand...story/24202829

I can't edit this, the actual figure is CHF 19.70 per hour, but some people need something to groan about.

So 3'400 francs per month.
Isn't it about time there was one introduced in all cantons?!

Believe me the 30 cents is a hot topic of conversation around these parts today.

Does that apply to nannies (maman de jour) too?

What about the young who are interning to learn a new skill and now will lose their jobs because they are still not productive enough for the employer to justify a 20 chuffs per hour?

Minimum wage does not really work and Switzerland is the last country to need one.

Ausgenommen vom gesetzlichen Minimallohn sind die Landwirtschaft, der Rebbau sowie Ausbildungsplätze.

There are pros and cons

And for those who don't speak german

Agricultural workers, wine producers/grape growers and apprenticeships are excepted from the minimum wage requirement.

There will be exceptions and if you have board and lodging included, then a different rate will apply too. Still, I think it's an interesting move to make, especially since I would guess that it is more feasible to live on CHF 3400 in Neuchâtel than it is in (the canton of) Zurich, so would Zurich need a higher minimum wage to account for the higher cost of living?

By the way, not all interns are paid a pittance, ours typically get CHF 28 per hour (this may vary slightly depending on individual circumstances but that is what the majority got), but we do expect them to work hard and have more than just a few basic skills and an excellent command of English and German (or French).