Bern, Switzerland
Swiss voters this week narrowly approved a law allowing certain shops to be open on Sundays. The referendum permits stores at airports and major train stations to stay open all week. Unions had opposed the change, saying it would create pressure to allow stores in nontourist areas to be open on Sunday as well. “The Sunday day off is the oldest institution there is for protecting workers,” said Paul Rechsteiner of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions. Church leaders were also unhappy with the outcome. Many stores have been staying open on Sundays anyway, so the law essentially validates what was already taking place.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
-
American universities are losing ground to their foreign counterpartsThe Explainer While Harvard is still near the top, other colleges have slipped
-
How to navigate dating apps to find ‘the one’The Week Recommends Put an end to endless swiping and make real romantic connections
