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| Switzerland holds referendum on basic income | Switzerland holds referendum on basic income |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Switzerland is voting on whether to introduce a guaranteed basic income for every citizen, becoming the first country to hold such a vote. | Switzerland is voting on whether to introduce a guaranteed basic income for every citizen, becoming the first country to hold such a vote. |
| The proposal calls for adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, whether they work or not. | The proposal calls for adults to be paid an unconditional monthly income, whether they work or not. |
| Supporters of the idea say 21st Century work is increasingly automated, with fewer jobs available for workers. | Supporters of the idea say 21st Century work is increasingly automated, with fewer jobs available for workers. |
| But polls suggest that only about one quarter of Swiss voters back the idea. | But polls suggest that only about one quarter of Swiss voters back the idea. |
| No figure has been set, but those behind the proposal have suggested a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,755; $2,555) for adults and SFr625 for each child, reflecting the high cost of living in Switzerland. It is not clear how it would affect people on higher salaries. | No figure has been set, but those behind the proposal have suggested a monthly income of 2,500 Swiss francs (£1,755; $2,555) for adults and SFr625 for each child, reflecting the high cost of living in Switzerland. It is not clear how it would affect people on higher salaries. |
| Intelligent Machines: The jobs robots will steal first | Intelligent Machines: The jobs robots will steal first |
| What is artificial intelligence? | What is artificial intelligence? |
| There is little support among Swiss politicians for the idea and not a single parliamentary party has come out in favour, but the proposal gathered more than 100,000 signatures and is therefore being put to the vote under the Swiss popular initiative system. | There is little support among Swiss politicians for the idea and not a single parliamentary party has come out in favour, but the proposal gathered more than 100,000 signatures and is therefore being put to the vote under the Swiss popular initiative system. |
| Critics of the measure say that disconnecting the link between work done and money earned would be bad for society. | Critics of the measure say that disconnecting the link between work done and money earned would be bad for society. |
| But Che Wagner from the campaign group Basic Income Switzerland, says it wouldn't be money for nothing. | But Che Wagner from the campaign group Basic Income Switzerland, says it wouldn't be money for nothing. |
| "In Switzerland over 50% of total work that is done is unpaid. It's care work, it's at home, it's in different communities, so that work would be more valued with a basic income." | "In Switzerland over 50% of total work that is done is unpaid. It's care work, it's at home, it's in different communities, so that work would be more valued with a basic income." |
| The popular initiative system | The popular initiative system |
| But Luzi Stamm, who's a member of parliament for the right-wing Swiss People's Party, opposes the idea. | But Luzi Stamm, who's a member of parliament for the right-wing Swiss People's Party, opposes the idea. |
| "Theoretically, if Switzerland were an island, the answer is yes. But with open borders, it's a total impossibility, especially for Switzerland, with a high living standard," he says. | "Theoretically, if Switzerland were an island, the answer is yes. But with open borders, it's a total impossibility, especially for Switzerland, with a high living standard," he says. |
| "If you would offer every individual a Swiss amount of money, you would have billions of people who would try to move into Switzerland." | "If you would offer every individual a Swiss amount of money, you would have billions of people who would try to move into Switzerland." |
| The wording on the initiative is vague, asking for a constitutional change to "guarantee the introduction of an unconditional basic income" but with no mention of amounts. | The wording on the initiative is vague, asking for a constitutional change to "guarantee the introduction of an unconditional basic income" but with no mention of amounts. |
| The idea is also under consideration elsewhere. In Finland, the government is considering a trial to give basic income to about 8,000 people from low-income groups. | The idea is also under consideration elsewhere. In Finland, the government is considering a trial to give basic income to about 8,000 people from low-income groups. |
| And in the Dutch city of Utrecht is also developing a pilot project which will begin in January 2017. | And in the Dutch city of Utrecht is also developing a pilot project which will begin in January 2017. |
| The basic income is one of five issues on the Swiss ballot on Sunday. | |
| The Swiss will also vote on a "pro-public service" initiative which would turn state-owned companies into non-profit organisations. It would also seek to limit such companies from paying their executives salaries higher than those paid to comparable public employees. | |
| Executive pay has been subject to a referendum in Switzerland before. In 2013, 65% of voters rejected a plan to limit business leaders' pay to 12 times that of a junior member of staff. |