News

At the national conference for health care workers, workplace leaders from Swiss UNICARE affiliate UNIA called on the governement to create better working conditions in health care. With a resolution they are criticizing the governement report on prospects in the long-term care: it lacks the focus on working conditions.

Although the Swiss Federal Council notes that in the next four years 77,000 professionals are needed in the sector, they do not consider that almost 45% of care workers drop out of their jobs early. Alternative financing models are needed along with good collective agreements for better working conditons and higher staff patient ratios. This is only way to prevent the high professional dropout rate of 45% in health care and to fill the 77,000 vacant positions by 2020.

Good care instead of profit

Care worker leaders are calling on the government to provide the financial resources for good care. This includes taking measures to ensure that the patients and not finances are at the center of the care industry. Care worker leaders also call for alternative financing models to secure fair wages and the reconciliation of work and family.

Breaking Through

The fight of Unia members for good working conditions for care workers is also an international fight. This was highlighted by Christy Hoffman, Deputy General Secretary of the Global Union Federation Uni Global Union, who spoke at UNIA's conference. Her message: together unions can grow and workers can break through to achieve better working conditions.

Petition "Good care needs good working conditions" 

Nearly 8,000 care workers have now signed the national petition "Good care needs good working conditions". Unia members will continue the collection of signatures and intensify their organizing work. The next national symposium for care workers will takes place on 19 November in Olten.