The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Unions urge probe on asbestos-linked deaths

Railway workshop in Bellinzona
Swiss Federal Railways is among the companies whose pre-1990s work practices are being questioned in relation to asbestos deaths. Keystone

Labour unions are demanding a probe of companies’ pre-1990 working conditions in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino, in connection with recent asbestos-linked deaths. 

They are targeting particularly Swiss Federal Railways and the Swiss accident insurance fund SUVA. 

There is concern in Ticino over several recent deaths of former employees of Swiss Federal Railways workshops in the cantonal capital Bellinzona and hydro-electrical workshops of the Blenio firm, where they were exposed to asbestos prior to 1990. 

The Swiss trade union federation UNIA, transport workers’ union SEV and “Giù les mani” association are calling for working conditions at that time to be probed and also the role of the SUVA. 

They question how much SUVA knew about asbestos in the companies concerned and why it did not react in time. 

Labour unions and asbestos survivors are calling for “total transparency”. 

According to investigations by the Bellinzona-based newspaper “La Regione”, the employees concerned were not equipped with proper masks. It also alleges that those who refused to work in carriages and locomotives contaminated with asbestos were threatened with being fired. 

The employees who died were all suffering from malignant tumours typically associated with asbestos. 

Up until 1990, asbestos was imported and used in Switzerland. It was present in the trains and carriages of Swiss Federal Railways as well as various components of wheels and electric motors.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

The start of the holiday season means long traffic jams on the Gotthard

More

Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season

This content was published on The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.

Read more: Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
Study: Rhine could become up to 4.2 degrees warmer by 2100

More

Rhine could warm by 4°C by 2100, scientists warn

This content was published on The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.

Read more: Rhine could warm by 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
'Leopard 1 A5' combat tanks in Germany.

More

Switzerland eyes joining EU rearmament programme

This content was published on The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.

Read more: Switzerland eyes joining EU rearmament programme
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

More

Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

This content was published on On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.

Read more: Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR