What is the increase in the cost of living between December 2020 and September 2026 according to the petition?

According to the OCST, VPOD and SIT trade unions, the cost of living rose by approximately 8,5% over the same period, while public-sector salaries were adjusted by only 3%. This gap underlies the request to recover the unrecognized cost-of-living increase.

Which sectors are affected by the cantonal salary scale and therefore potentially involved in the petition?

The petition concerns public, para-public and social and healthcare personnel whose remuneration is tied to the Canton salary scale, including EOC, nursing homes, public SACDs, USI, SUPSI, OSI and numerous municipalities. Those who work for these entities may find their position affected by the initiative.

When will the petition be submitted, and what does the support process outlined by the unions entail?

The petition will be delivered during the November session of the Grand Council, accompanied by a protest in the square. The trade unions indicate four steps: identify the sector, read the full request, sign or support the initiative, and mark November for the delivery and mobilization.

Trade unions petition for cost-of-living compensation in Ticino

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 7 October 2026

Ticino public sector workers with banners supporting the cost-of-living recovery petition

OCST, VPOD e SIT chiedono il recupero del carovita.

Context

TL;DR

OCST, VPOD and SIT call for recovery of the cost-of-living adjustment.
Between December 2020 and September 2026, the cost of living increased by approximately 8,5%.
Salaries were adjusted by only 3%.
For 2027, the Government expects 0,25%.

Key facts

Promoters → OCST, VPOD and SIT
Recipients → State Council and Grand Council
Period considered → December 2020-September 2026
Cost-of-living increase / salary adjustments → approximately 8.5% / 3%
Adjustment planned for 2027 → 0.25%

Between December 2020 and September 2026, the cost of living increased by approximately 8.5%, while salaries received adjustments amounting to only 3%. Based on these figures, OCST, VPOD and SIT are launching a petition addressed to the State Council and the Grand Council.

The request consists of two points: making up for the failure to recognize the cost-of-living increases of previous years for public, parapublic and social-healthcare personnel, and ensuring full recovery of the cost-of-living increase from 2027 onward. As part of the debate on the 2027 Budget, the unions reiterate their opposition to the cuts and their impact on working conditions and public services.

For a cross-border worker who works in Canton Ticino, the connection is concrete but conditional: it concerns those who hold a position in the sectors indicated and whose pay is tied to the Canton’s salary scale. The text links the mobilization to personnel and sectors covered by the scale, not to a separate measure for those who live across the border.

The sectors indicated by the unions

At the center is the failure to fully recognize the cost-of-living increase for cantonal staff. According to the unions, the repercussions extend to sectors whose pay is tied to the Canton’s salary scale: EOC, nursing homes, public SACD, USI, SUPSI, OSI and numerous municipalities.

This list gives the cross-border worker an initial way to interpret the issue: employment at EOC, USI, SUPSI or in one of the other areas mentioned may make the mobilization relevant. However, the petition remains a request addressed to cantonal decision-makers and does not describe an individual change that has already been secured. For an initial comparison of one’s pay, simulatore busta paga is available.

For 2027, the Government is planning an adjustment of 0.25%, which the unions consider too limited to make up for the losses accumulated in recent years and to offset the current rise in the cost of living. According to their estimate, on a monthly salary of 5'000 francs, the loss amounts to approximately 3'500 francs per year.

According to the unions, defending real wages is not a privilege but a matter of fairness and respect for those who provide essential services to the population every day.

Operational details

The difference still matters after the first year

The petition is not limited to the adjustment planned for 2027. OCST, VPOD and SIT describe a loss of purchasing power that accumulated because, between December 2020 and September 2026, the cost of living rose faster than wages. For a cross-border worker, the practical question is whether the job held falls within a sector whose pay is linked to the Canton's salary scale.

The figure of approximately 3'500 francs per year should be understood in the same way. It is the estimate for a monthly salary of 5'000 francs; it is not an amount assigned indiscriminately to every employee. The petition calls for recovery of the unrecognized cost-of-living adjustment, but does not describe a payment that has already been arranged. This distinction avoids confusing a union claim with an automatic credit on the payslip.

The long-term effects indicated

Table 1: Element analyzed
Element analyzed	Indicated effect
Immediate effect	Loss of purchasing power
Effect on raises	Lower salaries affect subsequent raises
Social security effect	Lower salaries affect social security contributions

The unions' reasoning goes beyond the current month: a lower wage base can affect subsequent raises and social security contributions. For those working at EOC, in nursing homes, in public SACDs, at USI, at SUPSI, at OSI, or in a municipality included on the list, the comparison therefore also concerns wage progression. An identical loss for everyone cannot be inferred from belonging to the category alone.

The costs cited by the unions — health insurance, petrol, energy and rents — explain why defending real wages is presented as an issue of fairness. A cross-border worker can consider the costo della vita Ticino vs Italia alongside the data, keeping the personal comparison and the general estimate contained in the petition separate.

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Key points

How to follow the petition

To turn the news into concrete action, a cross-border worker employed in Canton Ticino can start with the steps outlined in the mobilization. The process involves checking the sector, supporting the initiative and taking part in the events announced by the unions.

Four practical steps

1. Identify the sector. Compare your field with EOC, nursing homes, public SACD and numerous municipalities. The source also mentions USI, SUPSI and OSI. The criterion indicated is the link between remuneration and the Canton’s salary scale.

2. Read the full request. The petition aims, for public, parapublic and social-healthcare staff, to make up for the cost-of-living increase left uncompensated in previous years and to ensure full compensation for inflation from 2027. When assessing your own position, it is important to distinguish between these two objectives.

3. Sign or support it. OCST, VPOD and SIT are addressing the staff concerned and the public, inviting them to sign the initiative or support it. The invitation therefore concerns both workers in the sectors indicated and anyone wishing to back the request.

4. Mark November. The petition is scheduled to be submitted at the November session of the Grand Council and will be accompanied by a protest action in the square. The source identifies that session as the public moment for the submission and mobilization.

When making the comparison, use the example of 5'000 francs per month with caution: the estimate of approximately 3'500 francs per year refers to that salary level and does not replace an individual assessment. For those crossing the border, the useful reference remains their own position in a sector linked to the cantonal scale.

The mobilization calls for support for the defense of real wages, while the unions point to the costs of health insurance, petrol, energy and rent. To obtain an indicative assessment of your remuneration, use calcolatore stipendio.

Source: ticinonews.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the increase in the cost of living between December 2020 and September 2026 according to the petition?: According to the OCST, VPOD and SIT trade unions, the cost of living rose by approximately 8,5% over the same period, while public-sector salaries were adjusted by only 3%. This gap underlies the request to recover the unrecognized cost-of-living increase.
Which sectors are affected by the cantonal salary scale and therefore potentially involved in the petition?: The petition concerns public, para-public and social and healthcare personnel whose remuneration is tied to the Canton salary scale, including EOC, nursing homes, public SACDs, USI, SUPSI, OSI and numerous municipalities. Those who work for these entities may find their position affected by the initiative.
When will the petition be submitted, and what does the support process outlined by the unions entail?: The petition will be delivered during the November session of the Grand Council, accompanied by a protest in the square. The trade unions indicate four steps: identify the sector, read the full request, sign or support the initiative, and mark November for the delivery and mobilization.