French-speaking Swiss construction workers quit their jobs

The renewal of the government framework agreement (LMV), which expires at the end of the year, is behind the strike in the construction industry. Despite six rounds of negotiations, the social partners still have not come to an agreement. A failure results in a no-contract state.

Freemasons denounce that employers want to make working hours too flexible. This will result in long working days in the summer and high levels of inactivity in the winter. “This would be a step back 50 years, a return to the days of seasonal workers,” said Unia union secretary José Sebastiao.

Strikers blocked the central Mont Blanc bridge, where various speakers spoke, for about an hour. “This bridge you’ve built is a symbol of all your solidarity struggles, like the rest of this country,” Thierry Horner of the SIT union told the crowd.

He denounced the Swiss Association of Builders (SBV)’s intention to introduce performance-based pay as well as make work more flexible. “It’s a way to divide workers.” He also pointed out that deaths at construction sites increased and there was a death every two weeks.

“After the Covid pandemic, you worked tirelessly under the heatwave at the expense of your health,” Horner said. «Today you have stood up, proud and struck to respond to the arrogance and contempt of the SBV». We will fight for this contract,” José Sebastião promised.

The Unia representative reminded that the masons’ strike movement affected all of western Switzerland. On Monday, the protest will take place in a decentralized way in individual cities.

A large rally will be held in Lausanne on Tuesday by demonstrators from all French-speaking parts of Switzerland. “Tomorrow we will shake the Vaud bridges,” said Sebastiao.

(SDA)