Voters in Switzerland appeared set to reject a proposal to extend the country's mandatory annual leave from four to six weeks, in a referendum Sunday, according to dpa. According to an exit poll by Swiss Television, some 67 percent of voters were against the increase, with only 33 per cent voting for more vacations. Polls close at 5 pm (1600 GMT). The referendum was held after the Swiss Trade Union Congress, Travail.Suisse, obtained the necessary 100,000 signatures to trigger a nationwide vote on the issue. Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union, currently has the same four-week legal minimum holiday allowance as the 27-member bloc, but several rival economies, such as Austria, France, Italy and Sweden, have a five-week minimum. The Swiss Employers' Association (SBA), which urged a "no" vote, said citizens had realized that "something which sounds nice at first, on closer look brings many disadvantages." Other opponents, such as the business federation Economiesuisse, had warned that upping the length of holidays would costs billions and see companies relocate to countries like Germany.
