Bellinzona railway workers strike of 2008
Encyclopedia
The Bellinzona railway workers strike of 2008 was a strike
by railway workers against FFS Cargo
(by its Italian acronym), a division of Swiss Railways
. The dispute concerned a proposed company restructure
that would include the loss of workers' jobs. The strike took place in the Swiss town of Bellinzona
. It began on 7 March 2008 and concluded on 5 April 2008 when the restructure plans were withdrawn.
, was established in 1884 near the Bellinzona railway station
and soon became an important repair facility for the Swiss rail network. Today it employs approximately 430 workers. The workers at Bellinzona are represented by three labour unions: the SEV (Transport Workers' Union), UNIA (a service sector union), and Transfair (a Christian trade union).
On 6 March 2008, FFS Cargo proposed a company restructuring program which was intended to improve efficiency and profitability. More than 400 jobs were to be eliminated by the restructure, including 126 in Bellinzona.
FFS Cargo entered into negotiations with the workers during the strike. The company offered to suspend job cuts for two months if the strike was ended. This offer was rejected by the workers who instead insisted that no further negotiation was possible until the company provided full details of its future restructuring plans.
The strike comprised a range of tactics including pickets and factory occupations
. The Bellinzona plant was occupied for four weeks, during which the rail tracks were welded together to prevent use of the workshop. Throughout March, solidarity protests were organised in other towns and cities including Bern, the Swiss capital, on 19 March 2008.
The strike was widely supported. A group of politicians in Ticino
, the canton
in which Bellinzona is located, launched a solidarity fund to provide financial support for the strike. The strike received political support from the Ticino canton government and the bishop of Ticino, who also coordinated financial assistance. Solidarity committees across Ticino raised more than one million francs
(600,000 euros) in support of the strike.
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
by railway workers against FFS Cargo
SBB Cargo
SBB Cargo is a subsidiary of Swiss Federal Railways specialising in railfreight. Swiss Federal Railways is a former state-owned company that was transformed in 1999 into a joint-stock company under special legislation and divided up into three independent divisions: Passenger Traffic, Freight and...
(by its Italian acronym), a division of Swiss Railways
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
. The dispute concerned a proposed company restructure
Restructuring
Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs...
that would include the loss of workers' jobs. The strike took place in the Swiss town of Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....
. It began on 7 March 2008 and concluded on 5 April 2008 when the restructure plans were withdrawn.
Background
The Bellinzona plant of FFS Cargo, a state-owned companyGovernment-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
, was established in 1884 near the Bellinzona railway station
Bellinzona railway station
Bellinzona railway station serves the city of Bellinzona, near the southern end of the Gotthardbahn, in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland. It is also the largest railway junction in Ticino.-History:...
and soon became an important repair facility for the Swiss rail network. Today it employs approximately 430 workers. The workers at Bellinzona are represented by three labour unions: the SEV (Transport Workers' Union), UNIA (a service sector union), and Transfair (a Christian trade union).
On 6 March 2008, FFS Cargo proposed a company restructuring program which was intended to improve efficiency and profitability. More than 400 jobs were to be eliminated by the restructure, including 126 in Bellinzona.
Strike
When the restructuring plan was announced, workers at the Bellinzona downed tools and held an informal protest. A formal strike commenced on 7 March 2008. The workers demanded that all plans for job cuts be withdrawn. Workers' assemblies proposed alternative plans for the future management of those workshops which FFS Cargo intended to close.FFS Cargo entered into negotiations with the workers during the strike. The company offered to suspend job cuts for two months if the strike was ended. This offer was rejected by the workers who instead insisted that no further negotiation was possible until the company provided full details of its future restructuring plans.
The strike comprised a range of tactics including pickets and factory occupations
Occupation of factories
Occupation of factories is a method of the workers' movement used to prevent lock outs. They may sometimes lead to "recovered factories," in which the workers self-manage the factories.They have been used in many strike actions, including:...
. The Bellinzona plant was occupied for four weeks, during which the rail tracks were welded together to prevent use of the workshop. Throughout March, solidarity protests were organised in other towns and cities including Bern, the Swiss capital, on 19 March 2008.
The strike was widely supported. A group of politicians in Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
in which Bellinzona is located, launched a solidarity fund to provide financial support for the strike. The strike received political support from the Ticino canton government and the bishop of Ticino, who also coordinated financial assistance. Solidarity committees across Ticino raised more than one million francs
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
(600,000 euros) in support of the strike.