Rain fails to deter Labour Day marches

Giorgio Tuti, head of the Swiss Transport Staff Union, speaks to marchers in Zurich Keystone

Thousands of people across Switzerland have been taking part in the traditional May 1 Labour Day marches, with social justice and the euro/franc decoupling being the main topics of speeches.

According to police,External link around 10,000 people marched through Zurich, Switzerland’s main financial heart, on Friday. Compared with other years, which saw vandalism and graffiti on banks and insurances in particular, the event was peaceful, a statement said. Only a few fireworks were thrown and there were a few acts of graffiti, including paint thrown at a bank, the statement said. Later on, a group, mostly masked, assembled and threw objects at police officers, but there was “no critical situation”, a second statement added.External link

The march had started from a new location, Helvetiaplatz, in order to avoid being too close to the prestigious new Europaallee quarter near the station, which might have proved too tempting for some participants.

The main speaker in Zurich, Giorgio Tuti, head of the Swiss Transport Staff Union,External link talked about the central theme of this year’s May 1 events, social justice. Salaries in the upper segment are “exploding”, whereas in the middle and lower segments they’re stagnant, he stated. “Something has to be done to make Switzerland a little bit more socially-minded and fair,” he told Swiss public television.External link

Euro/Franc decision under fire

Speaking to marchers in Bern, Swiss Trade Union FederationExternal link head Paul Rechsteiner had sharp criticism for the Swiss National Bank (SNB) after its abandonment of the euro peg. On January 15 this year the SNB put a stop to the CHF1.20 franc-euro exchange rate ceiling, causing shockwaves in the Swiss economy and in markets abroad.

The Swiss National Bank should do its job and ensure a fair exchange rate instead of destroying jobs, Rechsteiner said.

The upcoming vote on June 14 over a proposed inheritance tax − which would include a levy on legacies over CHF2 million ($2.1 million) − was also a topic. Opponents say the new tax would increase the tax burden and threaten the survival of many businesses. But those in favour of the tax, like Rechsteiner, claim that the inheritance of such large wealth is “the new feudalisation of Switzerland”.

Marches also took place in Basel, Lausanne and Geneva. All were reported to be peaceful. Overall, 20 cantons held events.

Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga visited the MicarnaExternal link meat company in Courtepin, in the French-speaking part of the country. She spoke External linkof how important it was to offer enough apprenticeships, as well-trained young people are “the backbone of the Swiss labour market”.

The first Labour Day on May 1 took place 125 years ago. Switzerland is one of the few countries that has continued in a consistent way with the tradition, according to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.External link