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We are self-employed and entrepreneurs in Switzerland

A non-profit collective that offers a platform for communication between interested parties from the political, economic and media worlds.

According to the latest census of the Federal Department of Economics, Training and Research (DEFR), of the 4,6 million people employed in Switzerland, the self-employed represent 594’000 people. 55% are employed without employees. These people therefore represent an extremely important part of our economic fabric. The majority work weekdays and weekends, take only a few holidays and work more hours a week than the average.

Self-employed workers are excluded from the reduction in working hours (RHT) or partial unemployment if they have not contributed to unemployment insurance, which is optional for companies in their own right. SME executives can receive RHT, but with a monthly limit capped at CHF 3320.-, which is insufficient in view of the risk and effort provided by these entrepreneurs.

Since the semi-containment measures taken by the Federal Council to protect the population, Swiss independents and companies have been facing a collapse in their activities. For the most part, the inability to operate because of coronavirus puts the viability of their business into question.

The solution of bank loans, even at a zero interest rate and with a spread over 5 to 7 years, will not be enough to safeguard small structures. They simply cannot afford to bear the burden of debt, which is not only a significant stress but also an additional risk factor.

Our Facebook group brings together freelancers and entrepreneurs who live and/or work in Switzerland.
We are almost 10,000 members of French-speaking Switzerland (GE, VD, VS, FR, NE, JU), as well as some cantons of Alemanic Switzerland (BE, ZH, …) and this number is increasing every day.

01 Objectives

• be a platform for exchange and information for the self-employed and entrepreneurs;
• be a partner for the political and socio-economic communities;
achieve in the long term better social protection for self-employed and entrepreneurs such as Unemployment, Reduced Working Hours (RWH), Loss of Earnings Allowance (LOE).

02 Themes

share information and solutions, taking into account federal regulations and cantonal specificities, to encourage mutual aid and support, to be a source of emulation, to give everyone the opportunity to express themselves in a benevolent environment.

Since April 10, 2020, the collective has carried out joint action around the symbolic initiative ” Étendre les aides aux indépendant-e-s et relever le plafond pour les PME ! ” supported by organizations and political figures by federating with the Département développement économique (DDE) du canton de Genève, Sophie Dupont, Fabrice Pfulg and Markus Hohl for more than 220’000 signatures :

The 90,514 signatures of the petition ” Mise en place de mesures d’aide financière aux indépendants suisses “
launched on 14 March 2020 by Sophie Dupont on Change.org
The 18’771 signatures of the symbolic initiative « Étendre les aides aux indépendant-e-s et relever le plafond pour les PME ! »
launched on 23 March 2020 by the Département développement économique (DDE) of Geneva on inilab.pro
The 11’785 signatures de la pétition « pour qu’entrepreneurs et indépendants de Suisse aient les mêmes droits que leurs employés »
launched on 23 Mars 2020 by Fabrice Pfulg on Change.org
The 100’085 signatures of the pétition « Tausende Kleinbetriebe von Kurzarbeitsentschädigung ausgeschlossen, obwohl sie ALV Beiträge zahlen » and « Des milliers de petites entreprises exclues de droit à l’indemnité, même si elles paient à l’AC » launched the 13 march 2020 par Markus Hohl on act.campax.org
The 10,000 members of our Facebook group “ independants-et-entrepreneurs.ch ”
founded by Cécile Colin on 15 March 2020 in the midst of the Coronavirus / COVID-19 crisis, to meet the need to share the information needed to get through this economic crisis.
Claude Christophi and Fabrice Michieletto manage the group with Cécile Colin. A moderation team supports them.

We communicate with existing associations and federations, we are not here to compete with existing entities, but to fill a lack of presence and information.