Public transport workers in Geneva and management reached a deal on Thursday ending a one-day strike that complicated commutes in one of Switzerland's major cities.
“At the meeting on Thursday morning, the management made a proposal that meets our demands,” Aurélie Lelong, secretary at the transport staff union told Keystone-SDA news agency. Staff will receive the full 1.2% cost-of-living adjustment starting on January 1, 2023, slightly later than what the workers demanded.
About 350 to 400 workers participated in the strike, which affected more than 100 vehicles. Transport service is expected to be back up and running at normal levels on Thursday afternoon.
Employees from the SEV and Transfair unions as well as members of the Geneva civil service had gone on strike on Wednesday, demanding a pay raise in light of rising costs of living and energy prices. They had voted to extend the strike on Thursday.
At a union meeting on Wednesday, a majority of people present were from the education sector. The strike hit 52 schools in the primary sector on Wednesday, while 20% of post-compulsory secondary teachers took part in the action, according to their union representatives.
The strike was less well followed in other sectors such as security, health and social services, where there is a compulsory minimum service. Complaining of lack of staff, a police staff representative said it was like “minimum service every day”.
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Public transport in Switzerland
Switzerland’s system of railways, long-distance buses and local transport is regarded as among the best in the world.
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