OSC nurses and unions call for salaries to be unfrozen

Context

TL;DR

• Osc reclassification has been stalled for years
• 2019: class 4→5 for nurses, 5→6 for specialties
• Annual increases from 5'159 to 8'941 francs
• Assembly on November 10 at 14.30 in Mendrisio

Key facts

• Organization → Cantonal Socio-Psychiatric Organization (Osc)
• Adjustment → grade 4→5 for nurses; 5→6 with specialization
• Annual increase → from 5'159 to 8'941 Swiss francs
• Last formal request → January 2026
• Assembly → November 10, 14.30, Mendrisio

In 2019, the Joint Committee responsible formally established an adjustment for the nursing staff of the Cantonal Socio-Psychiatric Organization. According to the source, the planned change concerns moving from grade 4 to 5 for nurses and from grade 5 to 6 for nurses with specialization.

The reclassification would serve to recognize the training, skills and responsibilities required of those working in the delicate context of the Osc. The source also indicates a possible strengthening of the profession's appeal. Annual increases, depending on the role held, would range from 5'159 to 8'941 Swiss francs.

A request still unresolved

However, the adjustment has remained frozen. Vpod and Ocst therefore continued their mobilization with the Staff Committee: after submitting a petition in June 2022, they publicly stated their position several times and sent the Council of State several formal requests, the last in January 2026.

After the latest meeting on the issue, the Government reiterated its refusal and, for financial reasons, denied recognition that the unions describe as already established by the social partners. In the face of the block on the reclassification and yet another refusal, the unions and the Staff Committee invited Osc staff to Mendrisio, at 14.30 on Tuesday, November 10, for an assembly.

The meeting will serve to take stock of the dispute and discuss actions in support of the claim. The source also notes that the meeting will address recovery of the cost of living for public, parapublic and social and healthcare staff, an issue connected to the petition and the union picket scheduled for November 24 at 18 in front of the Government Palace.

Operational details

Comparing the two classifications makes it possible to understand the pay demand without turning the stated amounts into an individual payslip. The source in fact provides the starting and ending classes, as well as an annual range, but does not assign each figure to a specific function.

The class change and annual range

Both described paths involve advancement by one class, but start at different levels. It is not documented, however, which function corresponds to the lower or upper end of the range. For this reason, the increase of 5'159 francs cannot automatically be attributed to nurses without a specialty and that of 8'941 to the other profiles.

The period is also defined: the text refers to annual increases. The source does not state a monthly figure, does not specify other components of compensation, and therefore does not make it possible to reconstruct individual net pay. The possible comparison remains between the reported annual endpoints, with a mathematical difference of 3'782 francs.

Reclassification and cost of living

The demand for reclassification and cost-of-living compensation appear in the same mobilization, but the text presents them as two issues to discuss. The first issue concerns recognition of Osc salary classes; the second concerns public-sector, parapublic and social-healthcare staff and will also be linked to the demonstration on November 24.

The source reports that the Government justified the refusal on financial grounds and that the budget also blocks this salary adjustment. Neither the amount of the budget nor a specific figure for cost-of-living compensation is reported. The documented sequence runs from the decision of the Joint Commission in 2019 to the petition of June 2022, then to the formal request of January 2026 and the Government's latest negative response.

Key points

The second event indicated in the source is the union rally on November 24 at 18 in front of the Government Palace. It is being organized by Ocst, Vpod and Sit. The rally concerns recovery of the cost-of-living adjustment for public, parapublic and social and healthcare personnel, while the November 10 meeting is convened for Osc staff and to discuss actions concerning reclassification.

The scope of the available information

The verifiable connection with cross-border work is limited to the location and subject of the dispute: the news concerns the salaries and classification of nursing staff at an organization in Canton Ticino. However, the source does not say whether any cross-border commuters are among the employees concerned and does not provide data on their residence, the number of people affected or the composition of the staff.

Nor are the G permit, AVS, LPP, LAMal, tax rebates or withholding tax documented. Consequently, the text cannot be used to infer any specific effect on a cross-border commuter's social security, healthcare or tax situation. These elements remain outside the scope of the news, which focuses on internal reclassification and the initiatives announced by the unions.

The source specifies the venue and time of the meeting, Tuesday, November 10 at 14.30 in Mendrisio, but does not add the year. Nor does it document the outcome of the meeting, any decision on support actions or the result of the November 24 rally. Thus, the dates of the events and the unions' demands are available, but not any subsequent developments.

For a separate comparison on pay, consult payslip simulator.

Source: laregione.ch