Now the occupational pension reform (BVG) is about sausage. On Wednesday, the US Council looks at business. But in the run-up to this, merchants, farmers, and women are now in conflict. The reason for this: the insured’s salary is to increase. This means additional costs for employers and employees. But also better pensions for low-paid and part-time workers, mainly women.
The emphasis is on the so-called Coordination deduction of currently CHF 25,095 per year. In particular: Employers can deduct this amount from the annual salary. The most important thing is the remuneration of the insured person in the second pillar. So anyone who earns 40,000 francs today only pays BVG dues from 14,905 francs – and so does the employer. This has a negative impact on future pensions.
With the reform of the pension fund, the insured person’s wages are now set to rise, especially in the low-wage sector. The National Council therefore wants to halve the coordination allowance to CHF 12,548. On the other hand, in the Council of States, the real change of the system is under debate: instead of a permanent one, a flexible deduction of 15 percent of the wage bill is considered. With an earnings of CHF 40,000, contributions would only be made of CHF 27,452 in the National Council proposal, but CHF 34,000 in the flexible model. Compared to today, premiums will increase significantly in both cases.
Merchants are climbing the barricades
This now pushes representatives of typical low-paying industries onto the barricades. In a joint letter “to the Council of the States of the bourgeois parties” to which Blick is available, the trade associations of Gastrosuisse and Hotelleriesuisse, as well as the farmers ‘associations, the fruit and vegetable producers’ associations, oppose “the solutions proposed by the Council of State. it would make agriculture much more expensive and cannot be supported in this way. ‘
The associations are concerned about the higher contributions that would have to be paid. Low-income people in particular would be “deprived of the enormous resources they urgently need to live while active.” Employers would also be “burdened with disproportionately higher costs for the BVG” – in agriculture premiums would increase by up to 85 percent, depending on the variant.
Retirement controversy
These additional burdens are simply “unmanageable,” says the letter which includes Gastrosuisse president Casimir Platzer (60), Center farmer’s president and national councilor Markus Ritter (55, SG) and Fabio Center’s trade president and national councilor Regazzi (59, TI). they signed.
Traders and farmers want instead to set a coordination deduction at 60 percent of wages – with a maximum deduction of 21,510 francs. With a salary of CHF 40,000, only CHF 16,000 would be insured. At the same time, the entry threshold from which the salary falls under the mandatory BVG should remain at the current level of 21,510 francs. The National Council wants to lower the threshold to CHF 12,548, the State Council Commission proposes CHF 17,208.
Women demand honesty
This is how traders and farmers – the letter is signed by twelve men – are fighting with women! US Green Councilor Maya Graf (60, BL) introduced the flexible 15 percent model. She is the co-chair of the women’s umbrella organization Alliance F – and this, along with the Catholic Women’s Association, a non-profit women’s umbrella organization and an association of farmers and rural women, is addressed to councilors of all parties.
Women’s organizations and politicians from almost all parties have been demanding for more than 35 years the end of the “systemic error of the coordinated deduction”, according to a joint letter from the presidents of the associations. The current system has a negative impact, especially on lower income. With the consequences: “Today, on average, women receive a third less pensions than men, which is CHF 20,000 per year.”
Head of the union: “Inflation should also be a problem” (01:19)
The new model is expected to pave the way for better protection of women in old age and thus greater equality. “The percentage deduction for coordination is fair as it ultimately provides proportionally lower income, part-time and many workers, as well as higher income,” says Graf zu Blick. As an example, he takes a salary of 25,000 francs: “This person will now receive an annual pension of 5,865 francs instead of the current 1,219 francs.”
It is also important for low-wage earners and part-time workers to be able to build up a sufficient amount of retirement capital. “These assets can also be used for home ownership or self employment,” says Graf, pointing to another aspect. “Something that should be reserved for more than just higher incomes.”
Vice president support for women
The proposal has a good chance of success. Only a minority of the FDP opposed it in the Council of State. The women’s issue, on the other hand, is supported by senior vice president of state council Alex Kuprecht (64). The flexible model is “worth considering,” according to Schwyzer. “Basically it’s simple and doesn’t depend on a number that is barely noticeable.”
Moreover, according to Kuprecht, this entails roughly the same costs as halving the coordination deduction. “Therefore, I am in principle in favor of the simpler option which will result in a higher tier capital in the future and therefore a higher future pension.”