Insulted, threatened and attacked Public transport staff demand more protection from the Federal Council

Train attendants and train drivers are repeatedly insulted, threatened and attacked. But the Federal Council sees no need for more transport police. Transfair takes a completely different view.

Simon B. has been a train driver for nine years. One Saturday morning in late winter 2022, he was bumped into by a young man at Zurich main station.

He later suffered severe pain in his shoulder and went to Olten Cantonal Hospital. There they diagnosed bruised nerves in his shoulder and a slightly bruised lung.

Train conductors and drivers are often insulted, threatened and even attacked in this country. This happens during ticket inspections, on the platform or on the way there.

Transfair partly blames the Federal Council

According to Transfair, the Swiss public service staff association, thousands of such incidents occur every year, as theBlicknewspaper reports. Transfair blames the Federal Council for the high number of cases: It is shifting responsibility and thus letting public transport staff down.

The association bases its argument on the Federal Council's response to an interpellation submitted by Greta Gysin, a Green member of the National Council and chairwoman of Transfair, in the summer. In it, she enquired about the Federal Council's plans to improve the safety situation in public transport. The 41-year-old advocates an increased presence of transport police, especially on routes where incidents occur frequently.

The necessary resources are lacking

However, Transfair believes that SBB lacks the necessary resources. But new staff are more difficult to find in view of the shortage of skilled workers: "SBB must therefore also invest in measures to make the job of transport police officer more attractive," says Bruno Zeller, Head of Public Transport at Transfair. This includes improving wages, working hours and rest periods.

However, the Federal Council - and SBB owners - see things differently. The transport companies themselves are responsible for public transport safety, which is incomprehensible to Transfair: "The Federal Council did not even consider it necessary to get an accurate picture of the situation," criticizes Zeller. "Let alone put forward concrete proposals on how SBB could finance the expansion of the transport police."

Proceedings are discontinued

After the shoulder bump, Simon B. enlisted the services of the transport police and reported the young man to the police, as reported by Blick. However, the public prosecutor's office dropped the case. The perpetrator gets away with it. Despite the testimony of Simon B's professional colleague.

But even there, the Federal Council does not see itself as responsible: The cantons are responsible for prosecuting crimes against public transport staff. Moreover, it has no information about any legal loopholes.

Simon B. is not sure whether more police would actually solve the problem. The increased aggression is a social trend that is currently developing "You can feel it in the tone of voice," he says. But in the end, he too is calling for the federal government to finally take the reins when it comes to protecting public transport staff.