Ticino nursing reform: work hours and mixed reactions

Contesto

In brief - Maximum weekly hours for nurses remain at 50 hours - Normal duration increased to 42 hours - Compensation for Sunday and holiday work remains at 25% ## Key facts - What: Nursing care reform - When: Decision made on April 28, 2026 - Where: Swiss National Council - Who: Initiative promoters, Federal Council, bourgeois majority - Amount: Maximum weekly hours 50, normal duration 42 hours The National Council has decided not to reduce the maximum weekly hours for nurses, which remain set at 50 hours. The normal duration, however, has been increased to 42 hours, against the 40–42 range proposed by the Government and the 38 hours defended by the initiative promoters. A heated debate, in which the bourgeois majority focused mainly on cost containment, scaling back several measures designed to improve the working conditions of the nursing staff. The increase in compensation for Sunday and holiday work was also rejected, which will remain at 25%. Some openness, however, has arrived on planning: unscheduled work will be compensated if communicated with less than four weeks' notice and coffee breaks will be considered paid working time. ### Disappointment of the initiators The decisions have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the promoters. 'The disappointment is there, and it was a bit in the air. It would have been somewhat of a surprise if things had gone in another direction,' comments Dante Cheda, cantonal responsible of Alliance Care. 'We hoped that some proposals from the Federal Council and the Commission minority could be taken into consideration, but that was not the case.' The rejection of the 45-hour maximum is the most critical point: 'Placing ourselves within the 50-hour week, in such a demanding profession, can mean even six consecutive 8-hour shifts....

Dettagli operativi

Implications for cross-border workers The reform of nursing care will also have a significant impact on cross-border workers employed in the healthcare sector in Ticino. With the maximum weekly working hours remaining at 50, many cross-border nurse workers will continue to manage demanding shifts, with possible repercussions on their quality of life and psychological well-being. The compensation for Sunday and holiday work, which remains at 25%, may not be sufficient to offset the additional workload, especially for those who live in Italy and have to face long journeys to reach their workplace. ### Comparison with the previous situation Before the reform, nurses worked up to 50 hours a week without any additional compensation for Sunday and holiday work. The new regulation introduces some improvements, such as compensation for work not scheduled with less than four weeks' notice and the consideration of coffee breaks as paid working time. However, these measures are not sufficient to meet the expectations of the initiators, who demanded a maximum of 45 hours per week and greater compensation for work on public holidays. ### Future scenarios The dossier will now pass to the Council of States, where the debate is expected to be complex. It is possible that further amendments will be made to the reform, especially in response to the criticism from the Cantons and healthcare facilities. However, it is unlikely that the maximum weekly working hours will be further reduced, given the bourgeois majority's resistance to cost containment. Cross-border workers employed as nurses in Ticino will therefore continue to manage demanding shifts, hoping for further improvements in working conditions in the future. ## Recommended tools For an updated estimate, use the net salary calc...

Punti chiave

What to do now For cross-border workers employed as nurses in Ticino, it is important to closely monitor the evolution of the reform and the decisions of the Council of States. Further changes to working conditions may be introduced, particularly in response to criticism from healthcare facilities and Cantons. While awaiting further developments, cross-border workers can take advantage of the new provisions on compensation for unscheduled work and the consideration of coffee breaks as paid working time. ### Use the salary calculator To get a clearer idea of their income and possible compensations, cross-border workers can use the salary calculator available on the Frontaliere Ticino website. This tool allows you to calculate the net salary based on hours worked and any compensations, providing an accurate estimate of monthly earnings. ### Contact the Cantonal Hospital Authority For further information on working conditions and possible compensations, cross-border workers can contact the Cantonal Hospital Authority. Annette Biegger, Head of Nursing and Medical-Technical Area, is available to answer questions and provide support to healthcare workers. Source: rsi.ch

Punti chiave

[{"q":"What is the maximum weekly working hours for nurses in Ticino?","a":"The maximum weekly working hours for nurses in Ticino remains set at 50 hours, despite requests to reduce it to 45 hours."},{"q":"What are the new regulations on compensation for Sunday and public holiday work?","a":"Compensation for Sunday and public holiday work will remain at 25%, but unplanned work will be compensated if notified with less than four weeks' notice."},{"q":"What happens if the Council of States modifies the reform?","a":"The dossier will pass to the Council of States, where the debate is expected to be complex. It is possible that further modifications to the reform will be introduced, particularly in response to criticism from the cantons and healthcare facilities."}]

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