Cross-border workers for the grape harvest in Ticino: 15 francs an hour (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• 48 cross-border workers pick and load the grapes
• The pay is about 15 net francs per hour
• The grape harvest generally lasts a month and a half
• The day observed runs from 7 to 15, with a break

Key facts

• Location → Mendrisiotto hills
• Team → 48 workers
• Origin → mostly from the Varesotto area
• Pay → about 15 net francs per hour
• Grape harvest contract → generally a month and a half

At Mendrisio there are 48, among those who pick the grapes and those who load them, «all cross-border workers» coming mostly from the Varesotto area. The workers are busy on the hills of the Mendrisiotto; after the break they will return among the rows to finish the Merlot harvest, after a month of heat and hard work.

A day among the rows

During the visit, scheduled for Tuesday, 29 September, it is 12:30. The grape harvesters are taking a break on folding chairs, after their packed lunch, before returning among the rows. Work started at 7; the break is scheduled between noon and 13, while the end is around 15. Alberto, 60, responsible for managing the work in several vineyards, explains, however, that there is no identical length for every day: depending on the vineyard and the work, one may stay for three hours or seven, eight.

The pay indicated by Alberto is «about fifteen net francs per hour». For the grape harvest alone, the contract generally lasts a month and a half. Those who work for the entire season are instead employed from April to November. Between those who pick and those who load, the group is therefore preparing to return to work to finish the harvest.

Who makes up the group

The person in charge starts with the «hard core», that is, the people who return year after year, and adds the new applications received through the submission of résumés in Ticino. Broadly speaking, about ten new people arrive each year. The indicated age range is from 18 to 70. Alberto describes the team as consisting mainly of retirees or people who may have lost their jobs, while noting the presence of some young people.

The season was also affected by hail. In the areas hit, Alberto recounts, the damage was extensive, although the situation turned out to be less negative than expected. The grapes have a high alcohol content, linked to the concentration of sugars and the lack of rain. For the cross-border worker, the practical reality is a day marked by the break and the return among the rows.

Operational details

For the cross-border worker from the Varese area, the news offers a simple criterion for understanding vineyard work: distinguishing the duration of the assignment from that of the individual day. They are two separate variables. A month-and-a-half contract does not automatically mean identical hours every day, because Alberto links the hours to the vineyard and the work to be done.

Two time frames not to confuse

| Commitment | Indicated duration | | Harvest | generally one and a half months | | Entire season | from April to November |

The hourly figure, about fifteen net francs, must therefore be considered together with the actual length of the workdays. A three-hour day and a seven- or eight-hour day produce different results; this is why the figure cannot be converted into a standard monthly salary using only the hourly rate. The day observed, from 7 until the break between noon and 13, with the expected finish around 15, is a concrete reference, but the same source points out that the organization varies from vineyard to vineyard.

The workers’ profile is also more varied than the definition of seasonal workers might suggest. Alberto speaks mainly of retirees and people who may have lost their jobs, but he also mentions some young people. The stated age range, from 18 to 70, therefore includes different experiences. According to the article, there are two ways to join the group: returning to the «hard core» or sending a résumé to Ticino, a route used by new applicants. Those seeking similar opportunities can start with annunci di lavoro, keeping the harvest period and the entire season distinct.

Work beyond pay

The accounts of Maurizio and Matteo show two views of the job. Maurizio, retired after 43 years spent working in a factory as a lithographer, describes the vineyard as an outdoor activity, useful for meeting new people and enjoying a «pleasant distraction». Matteo, 52, from Varese, is working his fifteenth harvest in Ticino and his twenty-seventh overall. From his point of view, the change concerns the pace and atmosphere: what was once more festive is now more industrial and, in his words, «colder». For the cross-border worker, the comparison therefore concerns not only pay, but also duration, pace and working environment.

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

To apply for the grape harvest in Ticino, the process indicated by the source can be organized into five steps. The starting point is the résumé; the rest concerns choosing the period, the age range, the schedule, and interpreting the pay.

1. Choosing the period

The first distinction is between the grape harvest, for which the contract generally lasts a month and a half, and work for the entire season, which runs from April to November. The application must therefore be consistent with one of the two durations.

2. Preparing the résumé

New applications are submitted by sending the résumé to Ticino. Those who return every year, on the other hand, are part of the «core group» contacted first by the person in charge. The source mentions about ten new people every year: this is the figure to keep in mind when assessing a new application.

3. Checking the age range

The stated age range is from 18 to 70 years. The team includes retirees, people who may have lost their jobs, and some young people; the profile is therefore not limited to a single category.

4. Clarifying the workday

Before estimating the commitment, bear in mind that a day may last three hours or seven or eight, depending on the vineyard and the work. The observed shift started at 7, included a break between noon and 13, and ended around 15. simulatore busta paga can help interpret the hourly figure without replacing the actual number of hours worked.

5. Understanding the pay correctly

The stated pay is approximately fifteen net francs per hour. Since the days can have different lengths, the total depends on the actual hours and the period chosen. To avoid a distorted comparison, it is advisable to use the hourly figure together with the expected schedule.

To estimate the net amount based on the expected hours, use calcolatore dello stipendio.

Source: tio.ch