Micarna employees demonstrate in Lausanne
Published: Tuesday, Mar 5th 2024, 15:20
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Micarna employees in Ecublens in the canton of Vaud went on strike for the fifth day in a row on Tuesday. Around 30 employees, supported by representatives of the Unia trade union, demonstrated in front of the largest Migros branch in Lausanne,
"Stop Micarnage" and "Solidarity with the Micarna strikers" were chanted by employees and Unia trade unionists. According to Unia, further protests took place in Yverdon, Renens, Vevey, Geneva and Neuchâtel, among other places. There was also a picket in Ecublens. Migros plans to close this site, which employs around 85 people, in April 2025.
Unia has been calling for several days for the company to be brought to the negotiating table, pointing out that it was mandated by "almost all" of the affected employees. In their eyes, "the services provided to support the employees are far from sufficient", Unia secretary Arnaud Bouverat told the Keystone-SDA news agency. On Tuesday morning, the staff voted in favor of extending the strike.
Call to end
Migros' two long-standing social partners have meanwhile called for an end to the strike. The Swiss Commercial Association and the Swiss Butchers' Staff Association accuse the trade union Unia of trying to make political capital on the backs of employees. Interfering in a long-standing and well-functioning social partnership is a clear overstepping of boundaries, according to a press release.
They regret the planned closure of the site. However, the measures to cushion the consequences are regulated both in the current collective labor agreement (CLA) and in the recently renegotiated social plan for the entire Migros industry.
Migros, for its part, stated that the employees' demands could be met within the framework of the social plan that had been introduced. Individual solutions are planned for special and hardship cases. If talks remain blocked, Migros is considering appointing a mediator.
©Keystone/SDA