The company allows employees to work two hours longer

The industrial company SFS is facing a crisis: industrial goods coming from Switzerland have become significantly more expensive in the past eight years. Such an economic blow could lead to an increase in weekly working hours.

This is exactly what SFS decided to do. 950 of the total 2,500 employees were given a new contract: one that stipulates that employees will temporarily have to work two hours longer per week for the same pay. In addition, five vacation days will be eliminated in 2024.

Such a temporary change in the employment contract is not unusual, labor law expert Roger Rudolph tells Watson. But what is “crude” is the short time between the announcement of new contracts and their implementation. There are only five days in between.

How do employees react? Discontent is great, but so is fear, explains Anki Game of the Uniya Guild. She was in contact with some employees, many of whom accepted the terms and others left the company. So far, no one has resisted.

SFS management seems satisfied. “The feedback we have received so far makes us confident that the vast majority of employees support the temporary measures,” she says.

The new measures are valid for twelve months – and can also be resolved at short notice. Whether there is an extension will determine the development of the company’s growth.

There are also changes in senior positions. Employers’ wages are reduced by ten percent. “The reduction in wages for the management team is an important signal to our colleagues,” comments CEO Jens Brou in an interview with “Rheintaler”.