Quote:
Work-life balance: Family-friendly policy comes to a voteA proposed amendment to the Swiss constitution aims to improve conditions for parents wishing to combine work and family. However, critics say it may simply be an additional tax burden and represent unnecessary interference by the state.The wording of the constitutional amendment, which will be decided upon by voters on March 3, is quite vague. In essence, it states that reconciling work and family life is the responsibility of both the federal and cantonal governments. If efforts by the cantons prove to be insufficient, the federal authorities can set objectives.
Yet, Lucrezia Meier-Schatz, director of the Pro Familia organisation and parliamentarian for the Christian Democratic Party says it is crucial to create the right conditions.
It's good to see that the Swiss have the chance to vote on things like this.
It's worth noting that the right-wing, anti-EU and national conservative SVP, who are the largest party in the Federal Assembly (and one of the government parties) are voting against this (as, initially, did the classical liberal FDP). They claim that the move would lead to excessive interference of the state in family matters, causing extra expenditure and undermining the federalist system, which gives local and cantonal authorities a large degree of political autonomy. The SVP hopes to convince voters of its own initiative which goes in the opposite direction – aimed at repealing benefits for families who send their children to daycare facilities. The right-wingers want to promote a traditional family model, with stay-at-home mothers.
15 Jan 2013, 9:42 pm
