Winterthur public transport workers went on strike Tuesday morning during peak hours to protest their working conditions. Only 21 of the 64 buses normally in service were running during the work stoppage.
The strike by bus drivers began at 4:30 a.m., before the start of regular service for Stadtbus Winterthur. It ended at 8:30 a.m., after the morning rush hour. The Public Services Union (SSP) recommended that passengers check schedules and allow extra travel time.
Main routes were served with delays, whereas others experienced no bus service at all.
Work Hours, Night Premiums, and Damages
A dispute over working conditions has been brewing for years. The SSP has criticized short-term replacement shifts with the potential for negative hours, low night and Sunday premiums, and shortcomings in replacement services and scheduling. Employees are being asked to cover damages without sufficient legal basis. A petition filed in 2022 was unsuccessful.
“In recent years, we bus drivers have endured untenable working conditions in order to ensure local transport. We have now reached a point where it can no longer continue like this. The city executive leaves us no choice but to strike,” an anonymous employee said in a union statement.
The staff assembly unanimously approved the warning strike on Sunday, according to the Zurich Trade Union Federation, which supports the demands. The unions emphasize that requiring bus drivers to work long shifts, sometimes exceeding 12 hours, and reducing their breaks is unacceptable.
The company and the city executive reportedly attempted to prevent employees from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to strike. After midnight, drivers were allegedly asked not to park buses at the depot, but at other locations. Approximately a quarter of the vehicles were reportedly located outside the depot early Tuesday morning.
Company Calls Strike Unjustified
A dozen bus drivers left the depot Tuesday morning to walk to the train station, carrying SSP flags, according to a Keystone-ATS journalist. They distributed leaflets to passengers.
Stadtbus Winterthur stated Monday that it regretted the discontent but considered the warning strike unjustified. The company said various demands had already been met and that other solutions are being considered. The municipal department responsible for public transport has offered discussions, according to the city. The SSP reportedly refused these discussions, demanding that its claims be met first.
Ultimatum Before All-Day Strike
Discussions with Stefan Fritschi, the municipal official in charge of public transport, on Tuesday morning were unsuccessful. If no agreement is reached by the middle of next week, staff intend to strike for a full day.
“Some changes require political decisions. Miracles should not be expected,” Stefan Fritschi warned the media.
