INTERNATIONAL L A B O U R

OFFICE

oOO^OO«

STUDIES AND REPORTS
Series D (Wages and Hours) No. 9

HOURS OF LABOUR
IN INDUSTRY
SWITZERLAND

NOVEMBER

1923

GENEVA

CONTENTS

EXISTING LEGISLATION

Federal Act and Order on Hours of Work in Factories
Federal Act and Orders on Hours of Work on Railways.
Decree of the Federal Council of 18 August 1923
Basle (Town) : Act of 8 April 1920 on Hours of Work

Page
5

6
9
13

ADMINISTRATION

Limitation of Hours of Work
Distribution of Hours
Modified Normal Working Week
Overtime
The Shift System

15
16
16
19
19

COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS

Printing and Allied Trades
Food Industry
Building
Road Transport

21
22
22
24

PROPOSED REGULATION

Federal Act of 1 July 1922 amending the Factory Act
Arts and Crafts and Commerce

25 •
26

Existing Legislation

The 48-hour week was established by law in Switzerland by
the Federal Act of 27 June 1919 on hours of work in factories (1), amending the provisions of Part II, Hours of Work, of
the Federal Act of 18 June 1914 on work in factories. Section
41 has been again amended by an Act of 1 July 1922, but the
operation of this amendment is deferred pending the result of a
referendum (2). In transport undertakings hours are regulated
by the Federal Act of 6 March 1920 on hours of work on railways
and in other services connected with transport and communications (3).
The administration of the Act of 18 June 1914-27 June 1919 is
provided for in the Order of 3 October 1919 (4) on the administration of the Federal Act on hours of work in factories, and by
the Decrees of the Federal Council of 3 April 1922 and 7 September
1923 amending certain provisions of the Order ; that of the Act
of 6 March 1920 by Orders Nos. I and II of 12 August 1921 (6)
on the administration of the Federal Act on hours of work on railways and other transport undertakings, and the Decree of the
Federal Council of 18 August 1923 concerning the extension of
the hours of work of persons employed on the Federal Railways.
The Confederation is empowered by Section 34 of the Federal
Constitution of 29 May 1874 to legislate on hours of work in factories and on conditions of labour in dangerous and unhealthy
trades. These powers were extended in 1908 so as to include small
industries (" arts and crafts ") and commerce. The Cantonal laws
may therefore only deal with hours of work of such categories of
workers as are not yet covered by Federal legislation.
An Act on hours of work was passed on 8 April 1920 by the
Canton of Basle (Town) (6), and an Administrative Order was
issued on 4 August of the same year (7).
(') Recueil officiel des lois et ordonnances de la Confédération suisse,
Vol. XXXV, 1919. Berne, Imprimerie K.-J. Wyss Erben. English translation
in INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE (Basle) : Bulletin,

Vol. XIV, 1919, p p .

205-209.
(2) See below, pp. 25-26.
(3) Recueil officiel, Vol. XXXVI, 1920. English translation in INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE : Legislative Series, 1920, Switz. 1.

(*)
(B)
(•)
(')

Recueil officiel, Vol. XXXV, 1919.
Recueil officiel, Vol. X X X V I I , 1921.
Legislative Series, 1920, Switz. 2.
Ibid. 1920, Switz. 3.

— 6 —

F E D E R A L A C T AND

ORDER ON H O U R S OF W O R K IN FACTORIES

Scope
The Act of 18 June 1914-27 June 1919 and the Order of 3 October 1922 on hours of work in factories apply to all industrial
establishments defined as factories. An industrial establishment is
defined as a factory if it employs several workers away from home,
whether on the premises of the establishment or its dependent
yards, or on work outside connected with the undertaking (Section 1) (1). The following are deemed to be factories (Section 1 of
the Order) :
(a) industrial undertakings in which 6 or more workers are
employed and mechanical power is used ;
(b) industrial undertakings in which mechanical power is
not used b u t in which 6 or more workers, including at least one
under 18, are employed ;
(c) industrial undertakings in which mechanical power is
not used and young persons are not employed, but 11 or more
adult workers are employed ;
(d) industrial undertakings in which fewer workers than those
specified above are employed but in which there is special danger
to the health and lives of workers or which, from the type of work
carried on, are unmistakeably of the nature of factories.
Steam boilers which are directly used for purposes of manufacture are included in the term "mechanical p o w e r " .
The Act also covers the principal workshops of railways and
other transport undertakings. Auxiliary undertakings connected
with such works, such as stations for charging accumulators and
gas works are not subject to the Factory Act if their work is mainly
for transport services and must follow the time schedules of such
services (Section 26 of the Order).
The Act covers all persons employed in connection with an
industrial undertaking, including members of the family of the
manufacturer (Section 2 of the Order), with the following exceptions
(Section 3 of the Order) :
a) workers employed exclusively in their living rooms ;
(b) members of the family of the head of the establishment
employed in the undertaking, no third parties being employed ;
(c) persons employed exclusively in cleaning operations
outside the working hours of the factory ;
(d) the staff of the commercial and technical offices ;
(e) persons to whom the manufacturer has assigned important
managerial functions or an agency outside the works ;
(') Unless otherwise stated, the references are to the Sectionsof the Act.

(/) partners in a private company, and partners with unlimited
liability in a public company or limited company (1).
Limitation

and Distribution

of Hours of Work

The Act prescribes a maximum working week of 48 hours
for undertakings which work in a single shift (2). When working
hours on Saturday are less than 8 and when the weekly hours of
work would in consequence be less than 48, the remainder of the
48 hours may be made up on the other working days (Section 40).
In industries or factories in which adherence to the working hours
specified by the Act is liable to endanger the health or life of the
workers, the Federal Council may reduce the length of the working
day (Section 46).
A break of at least one hour shall be granted about midday,
except when the working day does not exceed 8 hours and is
interrupted by a break of at least half an hour, or when work
ceases not later than 1 p.m. In undertakings employing a single
shift the breaks must not be deducted from the working hours
unless the workers are able to leave their workplaces (Section 42).
If the breaks are granted in rotation the working hours of each
worker must fall wholly within a period of 12 consecutive hours
(Section 139 of the Order). When day work is divided into two
shifts,- the daily working hours for any worker must not exceed 8,
and must fall within a period of 9 consecutive hours (Section
47(ö) of the Act).
The regulations concerning hours of work may not be evaded
by giving out work to be done at home. Workers may not work
in the factory, even voluntarily, beyond the hours authorised by
the Act (Section 45 of the Act).
Permanent

Exceptions

Accessory Work. Subject to certain restrictions as to breaks,
rest periods, etc. (Section 180 of the Order), the regulations limiting
working hours do not apply to accessory work preceding or following the process of manufacture properly so called (Section 64).
(') The Act therefore does not apply to small industries (arts and
crafts) or to the building industry. The building industry as such is not
subject to the Act, but certain industrial establishments which are connected
with the construction or equipment of buildings come within the scope of
the Act if they fulfil the conditions for being defined as factories within
the meaning of Section 1 of the Order. Further, any work of construction
(building, navvying, excavation, canalisation, hydraulic construction, pipe
laying above or below ground) performed by the workers of a factory outside
its premises is not deemed to be an industrial part of the undertaking
(Section 7 of the Order).
(a) The term " a single shift " must not be taken literally. In practice
the normal hours of work may be spread over groups of workers within the
limits of the working day, and the Decree of the Federal Council of 7 September 1923 contains a clause in accordance with this practice.

Accessory work is defined as follows : the working and upkeep
of ventilation, water, light, heat, cooling, steam and power plant ;
repair of shafting, machines, and furnaces in order to prevent
interruption of work on the following day ; repair of means of
mechanical transport in and about the factory ; urgent structural
repairs ; extensive cleaning and maintenance operations in the
workrooms effected once a week or at longer intervals ; daily
cleaning of the workrooms and removal of rubbish on which only
a small proportion of the workers are employed ; work of supervising staff, watchmen, porters, and messengers ; handling of
incoming and outgoing goods, and carriage and delivery to customers ; loading and unloading of railway wagons on industrial
branch lines ; the lighting of fires and furnaces ; and in addition
certain particular processes in various specified industries ; in some
cases with limitation to working days or to certain hours of the
working day (Section 178 of the Order). Permits for accessory
work of other kinds may be granted by the Industrial Division
(Section 179 of the Order). Workers may not be employed to clean
the workrooms and plant of the factory otherwise than within the
limits of the weekly hours of work permitted by law (Section 138
of the Order).
Continuous Processes.
The working hours of a shift must
not exceed an average of 56 a week. The duration of work of an
individual worker must not exceed 8 hours and the duration of a
shift must not exceed 9 hours in 24. Each worker must be given
52 free days in the year, of at least 20 hours each, of which at least
26 must be Sundays (Sections 53 and .54 of the Act and Section
169 of the Order).
Night Work and Sunday Work. In addition to accessory work
and continuous processes, the Swiss Act grants permanent exceptions for regular night or Sunday work and temporary night
or Sunday work (Sections 53 and 54 of the Act, Section 163 et seq.
of the Order) for which the period of actual work is 8 hours in a
shift of not more than 9 hours. In all these cases the average
working week may exceed 48 hours.
Temporary

Exceptions

Modified Normal Working Week. The Federal Council may
authorise in particular industries a weekly maximum duration
of work of 52 hours if this is justified by urgent necessity, particularly if through the enforcement of the 48-hour week an
industry runs the risk of being unable to withstand competition
on account of the different duration of working hours in other
countries (Section41 (a)). Applications may be made by individual
manufacturers and are dealt with by the Division of Industry
and Arts and Crafts in the Federal Department of National
Economy.

— 9—
Overtime. In case of necessity duly proved the competent
authority may authorise an extension of the working day as an
exception and temporarily by a specified number of hours and for a
specified number of workers. The extension may not exceed 2
hours a day except in urgent cases (Section 48). This permission
shall be granted for not more than 10 working days by the district
or local authority and for more than 10 working days up to a
maximum of 20 days at a time by the Cantonal Government.
Permission shall not as a rule be granted for more than 80 days
in the year. This number may be exceeded in certain cases,
particularly in seasonal industries, when'there is pressure of work
and an agreement to this effect has been made between employers
.and workers (Section 49). Certain restrictions are imposed on
prolongation of the working day on Saturdays and the eve of
holidays (Section 50).
An employer who is obliged in emergency to contravene the
regulations without previously applying for permission must
notify the competent authority not later than the following day
(Section 63).
All overtime must be paid for at an increase of 25 per cent.
• on the normal fixed rates of wages (Sections 149 and 150 of the
•Order).
The 48-hour week may also be extended on account of night
work, Sunday work, and night work and Sunday work for which
a temporary authorisation has been obtained (Section 52 of the
Act, Section 157 et seq. of the Order).
Transitional

Provisions

The Federal Council may fix a transition period of not more
than six months from the time when the Act comes into force (*)
for the application of the Act to certain industries, provided t h a t
the weekly hours of work during this period shall not exceed 50
(Section 41 (b)).
If it is essential for the running of a factory the Federal Council
may allow a period of grace for the change from the two-shift
to the three-shift system in continuous-process industries on
.conditions to be determined by it (Section 53).

F E D E R A L A C T AND ORDERS ON H O U R S OF W O R K ON RAILWAYS
AND IN TRANSPORT

Scope
The Federal Act of 6 March 1920 and Orders No. I (railways
and waterways) and No. I I (posts, telegraphs, telephones, and
(*) The Act came into force on 1 January 1920 (Sections 218 and 219
of the Order).

— 10 —

motor transport) of 12 August 1921 on hours of work on railwaysand in other services connected with transport and communications apply to the following undertakings :
(a) the Swiss Federal Railways ;
(b) the postal services ;
(c) the telegraph and telephone services ;
(d) undertakings in connection with transport and communications licensed by the state.
The Federal Council may also extend the application of the
•Act to subsidiary undertakings which are essential or very useful
to the working of the undertakings named above.
The Act applies to persons employed on the permanent staff
of the undertakings covered who spend the greater part of their
time in such employment and are engaged only for their personal
services, but not to persons employed on new constructional
works and extensions unless their employment is essential to the
safety of the undertaking (Section I).
Limitation and Distribution of Hours of Work
Hours of Work. The average daily hours of work may not
exceed 8, this average being calculated for a period of not more
than 14 working days which may be either consecutive or interrupted by single days of rest (Section 3 (1)).
Working Day. The working day is defined as consisting of
a work shift and a period of rest. A work shift is reckoned from
the time of beginning work after a period of rest to the beginning
of the next period of rest and includes both hours of actual work.
and breaks (Section 2).
Breaks. An interval of at least an hour shall be allowed
about half-way through each working day. It may be dispensed
with when the work shift does not exceed 8 hours and when the
workers can have a meal during working hours (Section 4).
Travelling. Time spent in travelling on foot or otherwise
from one workplace to another during working hours and half
the time spent by the worker in travelling from his home to his
workplace and back without being required to work is counted
as work (Section 4 of the Orders).
Work Shift. The average daily length of a work shift estimated
over a period of not more than 14 working days, either consecutive
or separated by single holidays, may not exceed 13 hours or,
for a worker living close to his workplace, 13 Y2 hours. Wherever
circumstances permit the average work shift shall be reduced
to 12 hours. A single work shift shall not exceed 14 hours; in

— 11 —

¿pecial circumstances to be defined by Administrative Order,
it may be extended to 15 hours, including time off duty in exchange
for overtime, provided that the average length of the shift over 3
consecutive days does not exceed the normal limits fixed above.
Equivalent time off duty shall be given within the next 3 working
•days when for some urgent reason the work shift exceeds the
prescribed maximum by more than a quarter of an hour (Section 5).
Rest Periods. The average daily length of a rest period calculated over a period of not more than 14 working days, either
•consecutive or interrupted by single holidays, may not be less
than 11 hours, or 10 % hours if the worker lives close to his workplace. Wherever circumstances do not compel adherence to the
Jower limit, the average rest period shall not be reduced below 12
hours. The minimum length of a single period of rest, including
time off duty in exchange for overtime, is 10 hours ; in special circumstances to be defined by Administrative Orders it may be reduced to
9 hours, provided that the average period over 3 consecutive days
does not fall below the normal average length prescribed above
(Section 6).
Holidays. Every official, employee, or worker covered by the
Act is entitled annually to 56 days of rest of 24 hours each,
each rest day being preceded either immediately or with a short
interval by a period of rest of at least 9 hours, and to holidays
varying from 1 to 4 weeks per year according to length of service
(Sections 9 and 10) (*).
Overtime
When the working day for some urgent reason exceeds the
prescribed maximum by more than a quarter of an hour, equivalent
time oñ duty shall be allowed within the next 3 working days,
\mless the worker concerned agrees to accept payment for overtime.
No worker shall work overtime, without being allowed equivalent
time oñ duty, for more than 150 hours in a calendar year. Within
a single work shift the hours of work shall in no case exceed 10,
inclusive of time off duty allowed in exchange for overtime
' (Section 3).
Legal Extension of Hours in Exceptional Cases
In certain specified employments which consist mainly in being
in attendance at a given place, the average hours of work may
be extended to 9 (Section 3 (2)). For the purposes of the Act hours
(*) The provisions on rest days and holidays have the effect of reducing
t h e total working hours per year to a number varying from 2,424 in the first
seven years of service to 2,280 after the age of fifty, so t h a t the average
weekly hours of work are in reality from 46.4 to 43.8. A similar effect is
produced for the workers specified below under Legal Extension of Hours of
Work in Exceptional Cases, their working day being 9 hours.

— 12 —
of attendance are defined as the time during which the worker
is not required to perform actual work but must be on the alert
at his post and prepared to carry out at once any work which has
to be done (Section 5 (2) of the Order).
The following employments are specified in the Orders (Sections).
Railways. Permanent way staff, all station staff, reserve train
staff, rack-and-pinion and funicular railway staff ; the following
classes of locomotive duty in so far as they do not come under the
Factory Act : reserve shifts, auxiliary and accessory work in t h e
yards, and getting up steam ; maintenance and cleaning of rolling
stock ; charging of accumulators ; duty on electrical power stations
and sub-stations; locomotive duty on rack-and-pinion and funicular railways ; maintenance of electrical transmission plant.
Shipping. Pier staff and staff afloat ; mechanical staff, including workers in repair yards ; reserve shifts and auxiliary and.
accessory workers in depot services.
Sleeping and Restaurant Cars. Station and workshop staff,.
including booking clerks, stores staff, and workers engaged on the
maintenance and cleaning of rolling stock; train staff who work
mainly on Swiss territory.
Postal and Telegraph Services and Motor Transport.
Office
staff, mail porters, messengers, postmen, express-letter delivery
services; telegraph office and delivery staff; inspectors and cleaners
- of cars and coaches, mail messengers, and drivers of mailcars.
Temporary

Exceptions

In cases of special necessity and in particular on local lines,
the Federal Council may, after ascertaining the views of the staff
concerned, sanction exceptions to the provisions of the Act (Section 16).
In transport undertakings (railway, motor, etc.) where there
is heavy seasonal traffic the daily hours of work may be extended
by 1 hour per day during at most 5 months in the year, with
the consent of the staff concerned, provided that correspondingly
shorter hours are worked during the remainder of the year (Section
6 of the Orders).
Working hours may be extended to 11 on at most 10 Sundays
and holidays in the year for station and travelling staff of local
railways and shipping undertakings and motor transport staff
during heavy seasonal work, provided that extra payment is given
for the extra work, or that corresponding time off is given during
the next 3 days (Section 7 of the Orders).

— 13 —
Wage

Regulations

All overtime (except when equivalent time oñ duty is allowed)
shall be paid at 25 per cent, increase on the ordinary rates
(Section 3).
Wages must be paid for all rest days and holidays provided
in the Act (Section 15 (1)).
No reduction shall be made in the total wages or salary for
the calendar year on account of amelioration of working conditions
under the Act, nor shall employees claim any increase on this
account (Section 15 (2)).
*
Advisory

Commission

The Federal Council appoints, for the period of office of the
Federal Administration, a Commission consisting of a chairman
and from 10 to 14 members, nominated in equal numbers by the
managements and staffs of the undertakings concerned. The
Commission is to advise on proposed Administrative Orders and on
questions upon which the Federal Council may have to issue general
Orders or, decisions on appeals, complaints, and penalties (Section 18).
Decree of the Federal Council of i8 August

IQ23

The Federal Council made use of its powers under Section 16
of the Act (cf. Temporary Exceptions above) to issue the following
Decree on 18 August 1923.
(1) The average working day of 8 or 9 hours established b y
Section 3 ( 1 ) and (2) of the Act shall be extended to 8 % or 9 y2
hours until further notice for :
(a) staff employed on the maintenance and supervision of
the permanent way from 1 April to 31 October each year ;
(è) train staff ;
(c) staff employed on the maintenance and cleaning of rolling
stock.
(2) The average hours of attendance (work shift) of 13 or
13 y2 hours a day (Section 5 (1) of the Act) remain unchanged.
The above exception applies to the current time-table period
and to the next, unless circumstances arise which permit of its
cancellation at an earlier date. The extension of hours of work
may not be applied to grades of staff other than those specified.
or beyond 1 June 1925 unless the conditions for the continued
enforcement of Section 16 of the Act still exist.
BASLE (TOWN) :

A C T ON H O U R S OF W O R K

The half-Canton of Basle (Town) is the only Swiss Canton
which has enacted legislation limiting the duration of hours of work

— li —

to 48 in the week in those undertakings to which the provisions
of the Factory Act do not apply (*). The Act of 8 April 1920 on
hours of work applies to "all employment whether public or private
within the Cantonal area and to domestic service and home work "
and therefore covers arts and crafts. It fixes a maximum of48 hours per week and 8% per day for officials, employees, and
workers, with certain exceptions. These exceptions, with the
maximum hours in each case, are as follows : building, underground
construction, and construction above ground which is dependent
on the weather, 9 hours per day in the building season and a weekly
average of 48 hours ; bakers and confectioners, gardeners, hairdressers, drivers of motor lorries, shop assistants, and livery
stable men, 51 hours per week and 9% hours per day ; staff of
chemists' shops, theatre employees, and persons who work in
the house of private customers, 54 hours per week and 10 hours
per day ; caretakers, drivers of taxi-cabs, messengers, and home
workers, 60 hours per week and 10 hours per day ; employees in
hotels and restaurants, 60 hours per .week (10 hours per day for
kitchen staff, 12 hours per day for other workers).
Overtime, which must be paid at not less than 25 per cent.
above the normal wage, including bonuses if any, is only allowed
in exceptional cases. A maximum of 1 hour per day and 26 hours
per year may be worked without permission. The competent
authority may authorise extensions of daily working hours by not
more than 2 hours per day with a maximum per year of 60 hours
for female and 100 hours for male workers.

(l) Other Cantons have enacted protective measures, especially for
women and children, applying to undertakings not covered by the Factory
Act. The Federal Act of 31 March 1922 on the employment of children and
young persons in arts and crafts prohibits night work for women and young
persons in undertakings not covered by the Factory Act.

—

15 —

Administration

LIMITATION OF H O U R S OF W O R K

The report of the four Federal factory inspectors for
1920-1921 I1) gives information on the first two years' working
of the Act of 27 June 1919 on hours of work in factories. The
inspectors point out that neither of the two years covered by the
report were at all normal. In 1920 the enforcement of the Act
was hampered by the difficulty of changing to a 48-hour week from
one of 59 hours (the former maximum (2), which was still in force
in a large number of factories, though in many cases a shorter
week was introduced before 1 January 1920, chiefly as a result
of collective agreements). In addition the terms of the Act were
still imperfectly known. In 1921 Switzerland was suffering from
unpredecented industrial depression which caused widespread
unemployment ; this led to a reduction in the number of applications for permits for overtime, though the modified working
week of 52 hours was still widely used.
General statistics showing the reduction of hours caused by the
introduction of the Act are not available. The inspector of the St.
Gall district, however, carried out an investigation in 1,609 factories
which were subject to inspection during each of the three years
noted and are probably a fair sample of conditions generally. The
percentages of this number with various weekly working hours
were as follows :
Year

Up to 64

1917
1918
1920

25
—
_

6t '/a

11
—
_

_

59

Hours
57

55

52

48

39
69

11
10

10
7

4
13
8

—
1
92

_

_

During the period covered by the report the normal week
of 48 hours was in force in the great majority of factories. A
f1) DÉPARTEMENT FÉDÉRAL D E L'ECONOMIE PUBLIQUE :

Rapport

des

inspecteurs fédéraux des fabriques sur leurs fonctions officielles dans les années
1920 et 1921, Aarau, H.R. Sauerländer, 1921. For purposes of factory inspection Switzerland is divided into four districts with headquarters a t Lausanne,
Aarau, Zurich, and St. Gall respectively.
(2) The 59-hour week came into force on 15 November 1917.

— IG —

shorter working week, however, was not infrequent. For instance,
in the Aarau district, out of 1,932 factories 36, or 1.8 per cent.,
had a working week of 47% hours, and 19, or 1 per cent., had a
week of from 47 to 44 hours. The 44-hour week was general in
some parts of Switzerland for machine compositors in the printing
trades under collective agreements ; in a few printing works in
Zurich machine compositors had a week of 42 hours and other
workers 45 hours. In large chemical works in the Aarau district
the nominal working week of 48 hours represented about 44 hours
actual work, on account of the margin allowed on entering and
leaving for changing, washing, etc.
DISTRIBUTION OF HOURS

The Saturday half-holiday is reported to be general. In the
St. Gall district Saturday afternoon was free in 95 per cent, of the
factories inspected. The distribution of the 48 hours over the week
varies. The commonest system consists of 83A hours on each
of the first five days and 4 V« hours on Saturday. In some cases
no work is done on Saturday, the 48 hours being distributed over
the other five days. The 9-hour day is seldom exceeded, though
one of 10 hours is occasionally found.

MODIFIED NORMAL WORKING WEEK

General Permits
According to the Feuille fédérale the number of permits to work
52 hours per week granted or renewed for the whole of an industry
was as follows :
Year

1920
1921
1922
1923 (7 months)

New permits issued

Permits renewed

16
—
7
1

—
7
11
16

The list of permits to work 52 hours per week granted to the
whole of an industry is given below by industrial groups.

— 17 —
GENERAL PERMITS FOR 52-HOUR WEEK GRANTED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL ECONOMY IN 1921, 1922, AND 1923 (x)
Validity of permit

Months
(approximate)

Industry
From

To

Permits in Force
Textiles
Cotton doubling
Cotton piece goods (singeing
bleaching, dyeing, and
finishing)
Linen, including tubular
weaving and flax cord
manufacture
Embroidery (hand-machine)
Embroidery
ine)

16 June 1922 31 Dec. 1922
1 Jan. 1923 31 Dec. 1923

12

16 June 1922 31 Dec. 1922
1 Jan. 1923 31 Dec. 1923

12

4
1
1
1
9
1

ft%

e y2

Apr.
July
Jan.
Mar.
Jan.
Jan.

1922
1922
1923
1920
1922
1923

30
31
31
31
31
31

June
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.

1922
1922
1923
1921
1922
1923

3
6
12
22
12
12

1 Mar.
23 Sept.
4 Apr.
1 Jan.
1 Mar.
1 Jan.
4 Apr.
1 Jan.

1920
1921
1922
1923
1290
1923
1922
1923

31 Mar.
31 Mar.
31 Dec.
31 Dec.
30 June
31 Dec.
31 Dec.
31 Dec.

1920
1922
1922
1923
1920
1920
1922
1923

1
6
9
12
4
12
9
12

9 Jan. 1922 31 Mar. 1922
4 Apr. 1922 31 Dec. 1922
1 Jan. 1923 31 Dec. 1923

3
9
12

(shuttle-mach-

Embroidery (chain-stitch)
Embroidery (Lorraine point)
Embroidery (mending, sewing, cutting, etc.)
Embroidery (singeing, bleaching, dyeing, and finishing)
Straw plait manufacture

H a t and cap manufacture

Wood
Sawmills and carpentry and
allied trades

4 Apr.
1 Jan.
1 Mar.
23 Sept.
4 Apr.
29 June
1 Jan.
1 July
1 Mar.
30 Jan.
1 July
1 Jan.
1 July

1922
1923
1920
1921
1922
1922
1923
1923
1920
1922
1922
1923
1923

31 Dec.
31 Dec.
31 Mar.
31 Mar.
30 May
31 Dec.
31 Dec.
30 June
30 June
30 June
31 Dec.
31 Dec.
30 June

1922
1923
1920
1922
1922
1922
1923
1924
1920
1922
1922
1923
1924

9
12
1
6
2
6
12
12

1 Mar.
28 Mar.
4 Apr.
12 Mar.

1920
1921
1922
1923

30
15
15
15

1920
1921
1922
192«

7

(') 50 hours.

(>) Feuille fédérale suisse, 1921, 1922, 1923.

Sept.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.

4 0

5
6
12
12

6 y2
6 y2
7

18
Validity of permit

Industry

Months
(approximate)

To

FronI
Permits in Force

Brick, tile, pottery
Tile and brick manufacture
(including sandlime bricks) 26
28
4
12
Earthenware stove manufacture
1
Chemical
Soap, stearin, and paraffin
candle manufacture
16
1

Apr.
Mar.
Apr.
Mar.

1920
1921
1922
1923

15
15
15
15

Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.

1920
1921
1922
1923

5 y,
6 y2

e y2

7

July 1923 31 Oct. 1923
June 1922 31 Dec. 1922
Jan. 1923 31 Dec. 1923

4
6 y2
12

Permits Expired
Textile
Dyeing and dry-cleaning
Embroidery (hand-machine
woven)
Wood
Firewood chopping by
machinery
Wood impregnation (copper
sulphate)
Food
Pork-butchers' and preserved meat manufacture
Vegetable preserving
Italian paste manufacture
Condensed milk
Breweries (Canton of Ticino)

26 Apr. 1920 31 Oct. 1920
28 Mar. 1921 31 Oct. 1921

6
7

1 Mar. 1920 31 Dec. 1920

10

1 Mar. 1920 end of season

—

26 Apr. 1920 30 Sept. 1920
28 Mar. 1921 30 Sept. 1921

5
6

1 Mar.
1 May
4 July
18 May
1 Mar.
1 Apr.
16 Apr.

6( 1 )
6
4

1920
1920
1921
1922
1920
1920
1920

31
31
31
31
30
30
15

Aug.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
June
Sept
Oct.

1920
1920
1921
1922
1920
1920
1920

s y2

4
6.
6

(') 50 hours.

Individual Permits
The section of the report of the Federal Council for 1922 dealing
with the Department of National Economy contains the following
table showing the number of permits to work 52 hours per week
granted to isolated factories or groups of factories.
Industry

Textiles
Clothing (including altering and outfitting)
Food
Chemicals
Electricity, gas, and water
Paper and printing
Wood
Metal and engineering
Watchmaking
Earth and stone
Total

Number of factories

179
214
32
20
1
24
46
154
98
19
787

— 19 —

OVERTIME

Applications for overtime were numerous in 1920 but showed
a considerable decrease in 1921 on account of the widespread
unemployment in most industries. Statistics are given on page 20 :
of the number of permits for overtime granted in 1920-1921.
I t is pointed out that the figures are not altogether accurate,
as the returns are known to be incomplete, but they may serve t o
indicate the industries in which overtime is most frequent. No
figures are available of the total amount of overtime worked in
different factories. The inspector of the Aarau district reports
that the daily and yearly limits of 2 hours and 80 days are frequently
exceeded. The inspector of the Zurich district, on the other hand,
states that the limit of 2 hours has only been exceeded in a very
few cases of. genuine necessity and that the number of permits
for more than 80 days was 16 in 1920 and only 6 in 1921 (machinery,
8 ; textiles and clothing, 6 ; printing, 4 ; paper, leather, etc., 3 ;
woodworking, 1).
Numerous complaints from employers are reported to the
effect that workers work in their free time, either on their own
account or for another employer. The workers in an artificial stone
factory at Zurich, for instance, loaded sand for another employer
at 2 francs an hour in their free time, so working up to 13 hours
per day. Small employers especially object to this practice, as
it often exposes them to undercutting by their workers ; a clause
against working for pay outside the factory on behalf of a third
person is often included in collective agreements. It is probable,
however, that the practice is not sufficiently general to effect to
any great extent the length of the average working day.
THE

SHIFT

SYSTEM

In industries worked in shifts the Act lays down the principle;
of an 8-hour day, worked within a period of 9 consecutive hours I1).
In continuous-process industries with three shifts 12-hour shifts
are allowed at the change-over betwen Friday evening and
Tuesday morning, provided that the working week does not exceed
56 hours on the average. In practice, however, it appears that the
maximum of 56 hours is frequently not reached, owing to the use
of auxiliary shifts or to the fact that at certain times the undertaking can be left to run itself.

(') See above, p. 7.

— 2ü —
NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS OBTAINING PERMITS FOR OVERTIME
AND NUMBER OF PERMITS GRANTED IN 1 9 2 0 AND 1921 (*)
Establishments
Establish- obtaining permits
for
ments
Industry

Cotton
Silk
Wool
Linen

1920
1921
1920
1921
1920
1921
1920
1921

subject
to the
Act

Monday to
Saturday and eve
Friday
nf
OT hnl
nOliuajFS
Monday Saturday
and
eve
More
to
I
t
o
10
11
to
20
1
or
2
of
than
Friday holidays
days
days
days
2 days

324
334
207
208
70
77
32
32

76
59
64
23
23
15
5
2

11
9
18
7
5
6
3
1

—
-—

121
116
65
14
45
18
14
2

25
10
24
11
6
2
1
1

—

961
925

193
51

30
12

160
51

172
32

25
14

9
2

120
112

30
21

7
7

18
53

42
26

5
26

7
9

935
899

177
99

64
45

173
112

219
94

86
73

33
14

719
691
255
240

89
47
20
30

27
19
8
7

63
46
14
14

109
39
25
7

25
27
12
7

15
7
4

275
293

3
5

—

1

1
1

3
3

—

266
261
503
509
1147
1073
715
636

45
17
86
49
98
42
77
32

16
11
33
26
22
16
25
21

52
15
186
84
55
34
56
31

53
17
63
26
98
25
87
24

18
11
44
37
26
22
26
31

748
709

156
72

56
35

225
104

354
104

104
55

17
4

1236
1069

44
11

11
3

23
12

36
5

21
3

1
—

337
308

35
21

6

19
7

60
25

5

2

—

—

—

8810(2) 1221
8337(2) 596

343
225

1218
684

1566
577

454
330

127
57

Embroidery
1920
1921
Other textiles
1920
1921
Clothing and outfitting
1920
1921
Food and drink
1920
1921
Chemicals 1920
1921
Electricity, gas, and
water
1920
1921
Paper, leather, and
rubber 1920
1921
Printing
1920
1921
Wood
1920
1921
Metals
1920
1921
Machinery, tools,
and instruments
1920
1921
Jewellery and watchmaking 1920
1921
E a r t h and stone
1920
1921
Total 1920
1921

Permits granted for

85
70
68
37
20
13

1

3
3
5
1
2
5
4

—
—
—
4

—
7
7
9
3
5
2

(') Rapport des inspecteurs fédéraux des fabriques, 1920-1921, pp. 240-243.
(*) These figures are less than the totals for the column, as seveial establishments are entered
more than once under different industries.

— 21 —

Collective Agreements

It has been thought advisable to complete this account of the
legal regulation of hours of work by an analysis of the provisions
of certain collective agreements which have recently been concluded.
These agreements relate either to industries in which the system of
collective bargaining has for long been in force or to industries and
occupations which are partly or altogether outside the scope
•of the Factory Act.
PRINTING

AND A L L I E D

TRADES

Printing
The national agreement for the printing trade which was
concluded between the three Associations of Swiss Master Printers
on one side and the Swiss Federation of Typographers and the
Swiss Printing Workers' Union on the other for the years 1918-1922,
amended in 1920, provided for the 48-hour week for all workers
«xcept machine minders, who had a working week of 44 hours,
including the time needed for cleaning. The staff employed on
printing newspapers between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. were allowed a
i eduction of one hour provided that at least four hours of their
work were done at night.
The collective agreement between the Swiss Association of
Master Printers and the Swiss Federation of Typographers for
1923 and 1924 contains similar provisions. In addition it lays"
down that —
For overtime workers are entitled to the following increases in pay,
amounting to not less than 25 per cent, on ordinary wages :
(a) Machine minders :
per cent.

Until 10 p.m.
10 p.m. to 12 p.m.
12 p.m. to 6 a.m.
6 a.m. until the beginning of the ordinary
working day
(b) Other workers :

40
50
100
50

Until 10 p.m.
0.60 francs
10 p.m. to 12 p.m.
0.90 francs
12 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Normal wage
6 a.m. until the beginning of the ordinary
working day
0.60 francs
Work on Sundays and public holidays shall be paid at double rates.
The increases for overtime on such days shall be those indicated above.

— 22 —

Bookbinding
The collective agreement for the bookbinding trade which
was concluded on 6 June 1919 between the three associations
of master bookbinders and the Bookbinders' Federation (the
agreement expired on 30 June 1923) provides for a 48-hour week.
Working hours must fall between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Overtime
must be paid for at the following increases on normal rates :
30 per cent, for the first two additional hours on any one day,
50 per cent, for hours beyond this,
100 per cent, for work on Sundays or public holidays.

The collective agreement of 26 June 1919 concluded between
the Federation for the Protection of Swiss Paper Industries and
the Bookbinders' Federation, which also expired on 30 June
1923, contained, in addition, the following provision :
Work which is not strictly part of the processes of manufacture is not
covered by the restriction on hours of work. Auxiliary workers told off for
the purpose may, according to circumstances, be required to begin work
15 minutes before the normal time and to remain at night until the necessarycleaning is done, such extra work being paid at overtime rates.
FOOD

INDUSTRY

Milling
The national collective agreement concluded on 18 October
1920 between the Swiss Millers' Federation and the Swiss Federation of Commerce, Transport, and Food Workers, which was
renewed until 30 September 1923, established a 48-hour week.
Overtime work during the week is paid at an increase of 25 per
cent, on normal rates and on Sundays and public holidays at an
increase of 50 per cent. Transport staff and stablemen have a
10-hour working day, but are entitled to 11 hours' uninterrupted
rest at night. Work done on Sunday by motor-drivers is counted
as overtime.
Breweries
Hours of work in breweries are at present regulated by a
national collective agreement concluded on 31 March 1920 between
the Association of Swiss Breweries and the Swiss Federation of
Commerce, Transport, and Food Workers. According to this
agreement, which is still in force, the hours and distribution of
work in breweries are regulated in accordance with the Federal
Factory Act. Saturday afternoon is normally free, and any staff
employed on deliveries on Saturday afternoon or on the day shift
are entitled to another afternoon. The increase in pay for overtime
is 25 per cent. Sunday work must be limited to really indispensable
work and is paid for at a rate increased by 50 per cent.
BUILDING

In a certain number of districts in Switzerland collective
agreements are in force for the chief building trades, including

plasters, painters, and bricklayers. The principal provisions of
these agreements are summarised in the table below.

PROVISIONS OF COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS IN THE
MORE IMPORTANT BUILDING TRADES (*)
Number
of
workers

Expiration of
agreement

400

31 Mar. 1924

47%

—.

20
50
70
40

1
15
28
28

Mar.
Aug.
Feb.
Feb.

1923
1923
1924
1924

50
48
47
47%

—
—
—
—

Plasterers
Basle
St. Gall
Winterthur
Zurich

200
30
25
250

28
28
31
1

Feb.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.

1924
1924
1924
1923

47%
47
48
45

—
—
—
—

Painters and Plasterers
Berne
Fribourg

500
50

District

Painters
Basle
Hérisau (Appenzell)
Lugano
St. Gall
Schaffhouse

Interlaken
Lausanne

Percentage
increase for
overtime

Saturday

.—.
—
—
•

—

—
—
—
—
—

47%
—
—
31 Mar. 1923 50 summer Free afternoon Working days : 50
Holidays and night
44% Nov.
work (8 p.m. to
and Feb.
5 a.m.) : 100
39 Dec.
and
Jan.
60
1 July 1923
48
—
—
Only in urgent
170 21 Aug. 1923 50 summer
5 hours
45 winter
cases, holidays or
night work (8.30
p.m. to 6 a.m) :
100

Chaux-de- Fonds

60

Montreux
Thun
Lausanne and
district
Vevey

40
60

Chaux-de-Fonds

Weekly
hours of
work

• —

10 Aug. 1923 50 summer Free afternoon 50
48 16 Oct.- in summer
14 Feb. work in winter
1 June 1923 55
—
28 Feb. 1924 4 7 %
—

300 31 Mar. 1924 55
50 31 Mar. 1924 55 summer
44 winter
300

15 July 1923

55

(') Information supplied by the Swiss Building Federation.

—
—

—

5 hours

10 p.m. to 12 p.m.:
25
12 p.m. to 6 a.m.
and Sundays : 50
In accordance with
the Federal Act

— 24 —
ROAD TRANSPORT

Hours of work in the Basle, Berne, and Zurich sections of the
Swiss Federation of Master Carriers and Forwarding Agents are
governed by an agreement concluded on 1 May 1922 with the Swiss
Federation of Commerce, Transport, and Food Workers which
remains in force until 1 May 1924. According to this agreement
working hours are 51 a week and the employer fixes the timetable. The hours so fixed do not include grooming horses, for which
not more than 2 extra hours per day may be worked in establishment in which more than two van men, lorry drivers, or carters
are employed. The hours of attendance for workers who are
permanently employed as stablemen are 14 a day. They are
entitled to a complete day's rest once a week, which must be a
Sunday at least once a month.
The increase in pay for work done beyond the fixed period is
25 per cent. Work done between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. is counted as
night work and paid at an increase of 50 per cent. Sunday work is
allowed for the care and grooming of horses only and must not
exceed 3 hours. One Sunday out of two must be completely free.

— 25 —

Proposed Regulation

FEDERAL ACT OF 1 JULY 1922

AMENDING THE FACTORY ACT

The Government introduced a draft Federal Act, which was
passed on 1 July 1922, amending Section 41 of the Factory Act.
The text of the Act, which proposes to leave the principle of the
8-hour day untouched, but to widen considerably the possibility
of exemptions, is as follows (x) :
Section 1. The provisions of Section 41 of the Federal Act of 18 J u n e
1914-27 June 1919 on work in factories are rescinded, and the following
provisions are substituted :
" Section 4 1 . In times of grave economic crisis of a general character
normal hours of work in the day-time may be extended to 54 in the
week for each worker, provided that daily hours of work shall not
exceed 10. This provision shall come into force only if the existence of a
crisis has been duly declared by a decision of the Federal Council, and
after previous consultation with the central employers' and workers'
organisations concerned. The decision of the Federal Council shall
form the subject of a report to the Federal Assembly.
In the absence of such a crisis, the Federal Council is authorised
to permit certain branches of industry or certain stated undertakings
to extend weekly hours of work to 54 when and for such length of
time as the extension is justified, or for serious reasons."
Section 2. The period of operation of the present Act is limited to
three years. The Federal Council shall determine the date of its coming
into force.
If the provisions of the present Act are not replaced by a new Act within
the stated period of three years Section 41 of the Factory Act of 18 June
1914-27 June 1919 shall again come into force.

The motives of the Federal Government in introducing this
Bill were discussed in the Message of the Federal Council to the
Federal Assembly of 19 May 1922. The Federal Council explained
that the serious effects of world economic depression were felt
especially in Switzerland, which was a highly industrialised country.
The situation of Switzerland was all the more critical because
nearly three-fifths of its industrial products had to be disposed
of on foreign markets. The loss of markets and the depreciation
of exchanges had had a disastrous effect on national economic
conditions and, in particular, on industry. Among other results,
there was a substantial increase in the number of unemployed.
Unless industry could produce more cheaply, it would be impossible
to effect even a partial remedy for the existing state of affairs and
(l) Recueil officiel. Vol. X X X V I I I , 1922.

— 26 —

a consequent improvement in the position of the workers. To
obtain this result it was necessary, in the first place, to extend
hours of work for a limited period.
Like all Federal legislation, the new Act must be submitted
to a referendum if this is demanded within 90 days by the signatures
of 30,000 voters or by 8 Cantons. Over 200,000 signatures were
obtained to the petition for a referendum, which has not yet taken
place. The new Act is therefore still in abeyance.
ARTS AND CRAFTS AND COMMERCE

Legislation on hours of work in arts.and crafts and in commerce
is at present in preparation. In 1921, when deciding not to ratify
the Washington Convention on hours of work in industry, the
Federal Assembly noted with approval the intention of the Federal
Council to prepare a Bill dealing with hours of work in arts and
crafts and in commerce which should take into account the special
needs of these groups.