Industrial action Thousands of Geneva public sector workers take to the streets in protest
2,500 to 3,000 people protested in Geneva on Thursday against the government's austerity measures. A catalog presented by experts with additional savings of 533 million francs has increased people's dissatisfaction even more.
07.05.2026, 19:50
SDA
The protest march, which started from the Parc des Cropettes and was led by the trade union federation of state employees and the subsidized sector, crossed the Mont Blanc bridge before reaching the old town. The rally followed a work stoppage.
"Wages under attack, social benefits at risk" chanted the demonstrators, who took to the streets for the fifth time since November. "Our essential work, our living wage", read the placards.
The austerity measures planned in the 2026 draft budget are causing great concern among the trade unions. They criticize the blocking of salary levels for 2026 and the following three years as well as the freezing of the inflation adjustment. The unions put the wage losses at up to 5.1 percent
