Public-sector workers in Geneva have issued a strike notice for April 23rd in protest against expected cuts in the cantonal budget, reported RTS. On Thursday evening the general assembly of the Cartel Intersyndical, an umbrella group of unions, also approved plans for a demonstration a week earlier.
The cantonal government is due to present a new draft budget at the end of March. A panel of experts had been asked to identify potential savings of CHF 500m. Some unions fear the cuts could be even deeper.
In a resolution adopted unanimously, public-sector employees criticised what they describe as repeated forecasting errors in Geneva’s public finances. These, they argue, are used as a pretext to reduce public services. They also point to successive tax cuts, which they say have reduced revenues by about CHF 2bn a year.
The resolution also highlights staff shortages, rising inequality and the suspension of annual salary increments this year and throughout the current four-year financial plan. Employees also complain that wages have not been fully indexed to inflation since 2021.
Further strike action possible
Public-sector workers plan to strike on April 23rd, alongside a demonstration. Whether the strike will be extended will be discussed at another general assembly.
Among their demands, employees want the return of annual salary increments this year and a 2.5% wage indexation for 2026, as well as adjustments to pensions. They also call for more public-sector jobs, the withdrawal of plans to abolish the double final salary before retirement, and a solidarity contribution from high earners and large companies.
The resolution further calls for higher pay for lower-paid workers in the health and social sectors, better conditions in after-school care and an end, in the unions’ view, to attacks on social assistance. The cantonal government recently decided to cut spending in that area.
Geneva’s government is facing a projected budget deficit of about CHF 409m in 2026. To restore balance, the cantonal authorities asked a panel of experts to identify roughly CHF 500m in possible savings across public spending. The government argues that expenditure—particularly on education, healthcare and social services—has grown faster than revenues and risks creating a structural deficit if left unchecked. Proposed measures include restraining administrative spending and suspending annual salary increments for public employees.
In Geneva, wages are among the highest in Switzerland: the median salary in the canton is roughly CHF 75,800 a year, or about CHF 6,700–7,200 per month across all sectors. Within this high-paying labour market, public-sector employees typically earn more than private-sector workers. National statistics—often used as a benchmark for Geneva—show a median monthly salary of about CHF 8,000 in the public sector compared with roughly CHF 6,300 in the private sector, a gap of around 25–30%. The difference reflects the structure of public employment, which includes a high share of qualified professions such as teaching, healthcare and administration, and operates with standardised pay scales that compress wage differences.
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