« Switzerland has only a reliable partner – Europe »
« The situation with Trump and Putin made it clear to everyone that Switzerland has only a reliable partner »
SP-CO President Cédric Wermuth is pleased with the compromise of unions and employers in wage protection. In the interview, he says what he is now expecting from the other parties in the EU dossier.
« Pleased that the FDP has now clearly known to the European Alliance »: Cédric Wermuth.
After years of dispute and long, intensive negotiations, unions, employers and trade association have agreed on a package of measures to secure wage protection in Switzerland to companies from the EU. This is an important step for the new EU contracts with which the Federal Council wants to stabilize the bilateral path. An old party -political constellation is now emerging: all against the SVP.
The social partners have agreed on measures how wage protection can be preserved for the EU. Is this the breakthrough for the new bilateral contracts?
This is a good day for Switzerland and European policy. I am pleasantly surprised at how everyone gathered together. However, we must not overlook the fact that it is a minimal compromise. The EU demands nationwide minimum wages from its member countries and up to 80 percent cover with total employment contracts. We are far from that. There is zero scope for deterioration in the compromise in parliament. Anyone who thinks they can still play party political games here endangers the entire package.
The SP has also been critical in recent years, keywords expenses, but also electricity and rail liberalization. Is the SP now compromising on such questions because of the geopolitical uncertainty?
The social partner compromise is a very important foundation stone, but not yet the end. There are questions that we have to look at. This applies in particular to the protection of the public service for electricity and train. But it is true: The situation with Trump and Putin has made it clear to everyone that Switzerland has only a reliable partner and this is Europe.
Do you already work with FDP, center, GLP and Greens on the resurrection of the European alliance?
First of all, it is now important to ground the new termination initiative of the SVP together. This initiative is a frontal attack on Switzerland and its partnership with Europe. The SVP thus wants to provoke the bilateral termination and thus breaks our relationships with the EU – a highly dangerous game in the current international situation. If Switzerland is close to the heart, you can’t seriously want this. We share this attitude with the parties mentioned. We are very pleased that the FDP has now clearly known to the European Alliance.
