June 14: The history of the feminist strike in Switzerland

Who says June 14 in Switzerland, says feminist strike. This date is in fact synonymous with the fight for equality with large-scale demonstrations organized throughout the country, this year again in 2024.

But what led to these gatherings in Switzerland? A look back at several important dates that anchored this day in history.

February 7, 1971

Swiss women finally obtained the right to vote, well after many countries in the world, notably 53 years after Germany, 36 years after Turkey and 27 years after France. The introduction of women’s suffrage, put to a vote, was accepted by citizens by 65.7%. This is an important first step for equality after a decisive fight led by women.

June 14, 1981

Swiss women finally obtained the right to vote, well after many countries in the world, notably 53 years after Germany, 36 years after Turkey and 27 years after France. The introduction of women’s suffrage, put to a vote, was accepted by citizens by 65.7%. This is an important first step for equality after a decisive fight led by women.

August 29, 1990

The project of a feminist strike was launched in 1990, as was its organization by the country’s unions and women’s organizations. Liliane Valceschini is the initiator. This watchmaking worker, member of the Swiss Federation of Metallurgical and Watchmaking Workers (FTMH) union, suggested the idea of ​​female mobilization to Christiane Brunner, central secretary of the same union and vice-president of the Swiss Trade Union Union (USS).

The latter transmits this strike plan to the union committee which approves it in August. Then, in October, the USS congress also unanimously accepted the strike, even if persuasion work had to be carried out, particularly towards recalcitrant men.

June 14, 1991

That’s it, we’re there. A feminist strike is taking place across the country under the slogan: “Women with their arms crossed, the country is losing its footing”. Half a million women and men are mobilizing in solidarity in the workplace and demonstrations are also being organized in the streets. Some people only stop work briefly, wear badges, organize sit-ins or street theater and have group meals. The atmosphere is festive.

The 1991 strike also took place in the private sphere – an originality – where women stopped all domestic work. It was the largest public gathering since the 1918 general strike.

Twenty years after obtaining women’s suffrage and ten years after the introduction of the principle of equality, the demonstrators are demanding the application of this article, particularly in the professional sphere, but also in the private sphere, with the sharing of domestic tasks and the end of sexist and sexual violence.

The media response is strong, at national and international level, even if some media minimize the feminist strike, which had already been the case a priori. In the following years, certain advances took place for women’s rights in Switzerland, such as the adoption of the equality law in 1995, the entry into force of the solution without delay (abortion) in 2002 and of insurance maternity in 2005.

8 mars 2018

On International Women’s Day, Spanish unions are organizing a nationwide feminist strike. It’s a success: 5.3 million people mobilized. Spanish women wish to denounce all forms of discrimination and violence against women. This enthusiasm gives ideas to the Swiss unions, who are starting to float the idea of ​​a new strike in Switzerland. The desire to mark the occasion on June 14, in reference to the 1991 strike, was quickly mentioned.

September 22, 2018

We are witnessing a foretaste of the strike – which the unions are increasingly talking about for the following year – during this demonstration organized in Bern. This procession is organized in particular to demand the application of equal pay. Because, at the same time, a revision of the law on equality, which came into force in 1996, is being developed in parliament, under the leadership of the Federal Council. Anger rumbles. Using placards and slogans evoking the discrimination experienced by women, 20,000 people parade through the streets of the capital.

Pay equality is in fact still not up to date with a difference of 18% between men and women. But the discussions are heated and reluctance is felt. Some parliamentarians do not wish to enter into this revision or remove any binding character from the new law. Enough to revolt the unions and add fuel to the fire in favor of the organization of a feminist strike.

A revision of the text was finally adopted on December 14, 2018 and came into force on July 1, 2020. But it does not provide for sanctions for companies that do not respect equal pay. It is only required that companies with more than 100 employees carry out an analysis of the salaries of men and women and publish their results. Enough to warm up women even more before the 2019 strike.

June 14, 2019

A purple wave sweeps through Switzerland and brings together 500,000 people again. To successfully organize this strike and the various events that accompany it, collectives were formed at the cantonal level.

Equal pay continues to be demanded, as does the promotion of domestic tasks. Gender-based and sexual violence is denounced and speech is more open on this subject thanks to the advent of the #MeToo movement in 2017.

In the following years, the feminist strike continued to bring together many women each year with the aim of achieving equality. During the pandemic, participation was nevertheless weakened, but in 2023, 300,000 people were mobilized throughout the country.

Since 2019, we have also witnessed a convergence of struggles to combat all the discrimination experienced by women because of patriarchy (racism, homophobia, transphobia). Low wages and pensions for women are also becoming a key theme.

June 14, 2024

Numerous events, actions and processions are being organized again in Switzerland in 2024. The members of French-speaking feminist collectives have agreed on several demands and themes that they wish to make visible: the war in Gaza and the fate of Palestinian women, the rise of transphobia, the vote on the reform of the LPP against which they call to vote no, the non-recognition of care work, salary inequalities and low salaries in the sectors feminized as well as the important fight that remains to be waged against feminicides.

Meet in the streets for this new mobilization!

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