Protest in Bern Thousands take to the streets for higher wages
"Up with wages, down with bonuses": thousands of people demonstrated in Bern for a pay rise of up to five percent.
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- According to the organizers, over 15,000 people gathered in the federal capital to demonstrate for higher wages.
- The rally was called by the trade unions of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) and the associations of Travailsuisse, the umbrella organization for employees.
- The unions denounced the fact that real wages are below the 2019 level despite generally good economic development.
Several thousand people demonstrated for higher wages in Bern on Saturday afternoon. The rally was called by the trade unions of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) and the associations of Travailsuisse, the umbrella organization for employees.
The organizers estimated the number of demonstrators at over 15,000, some of whom had travelled from all over Switzerland in extra trains and cars.
The procession from Schützenmatte to Bundesplatz was peaceful, as a reporter from the Keystone-SDA news agency observed. Under the slogan "High time for higher wages", the participants marched through the city center shouting slogans such as "Up with wages, down with bonuses". They drew attention to themselves with drums and whistles, and smoke petards were also set off.
In addition to the trade unions, the regional groups of the climate strike movement also called on people to take part. For example, they took part with a banner reading "Reduce working hours now! More time, less emissions" in the procession.
Numerous Palestine flags were also on display. The demonstrators, particularly those from young parties and communist movements, called for a ceasefire and chanted "Free, free Palestine".
"This policy has no future"
At the heart of the national wage demonstration was the demand for wage increases of up to five percent, according to a statement from the trade unions. They denounced the fact that real wages are below the 2019 level despite generally good economic development.
Without wage adjustments, the population would become impoverished, said SGB President and SP member of the Council of States Pierre-Yves Maillard at the closing rally on the Bundesplatz. "This policy has no future." Yvonne Feri, President of the Syna trade union, added that a full-time job should make life possible. On behalf of the unions, she called for an automatic cost-of-living adjustment and no wages below CHF 4,500.
The police were particularly present in front of the Federal Palace, but remained in the background. There were major traffic restrictions in the city center during the procession.