On 2 December 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council agreed to boost the salaries of those working for the federal government by 2.5% in 2023.
Inflation, which was 3% at the end of November 2022, has fuelled demands for higher pay.
During negotiations, staff representatives pushed for a pay deal that fully made up for inflation. However, finance minister Ueli Maurer pointed out that Switzerland’s already negative budget should be considered when deciding on pay increases and that full compensation for inflation was not possible.
Increased pay also risks increasing inflationary pressure by putting more money in pockets. In addition, an average public sector worker in Switzerland already earns significantly more than one in the private sector. On average, a full time job with the government was 26% better paid than a full time job in the private sector in Switzerland in 2020.
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Government press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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