Layoffs after the hospital strike in 2013 at the “La Providence” hospital in Neuenburg/Neuchâtel

dossier

Management responded to the first warning strike on September 18, 2012 with repression, threats and delaying negotiations. The state also tried to take action against the willingness to fight and declared a first strike attempt illegal.  The hospital employees refused to be intimidated and went on strike on November 26th. They are fighting to maintain the current GAV Santé 21, against the threat of outsourcing and against current waves of layoffs. The cantonal government is increasingly coming under criticism... See:

• After 15 years, the International Court of Human Rights confirms the fundamental right to strike of 22 former employees of the private hospital La Providence
  • Groundbreaking ruling against Switzerland: ECHR strengthens the right to strike
    “The Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) welcomes today's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the strike at the La Providence private hospital in Neuchâtel. The Court finds that Switzerland has violated freedom of trade unions. The ruling is an important victory for employees and their unions. It makes it clear: Anyone who strikes for better working conditions must be able to rely on the protection of their fundamental rights.
    In 2012 and 2013, employees at the private hospital La Providence resisted deterioration in their working conditions. In particular, they fought for the continued validity of their collective employment agreement. 22 strikers were dismissed without notice because they continued their industrial action. The Federal Court had protected the dismissals and judged the strike to be disproportionate.
    The ECHR condemns Switzerland in today's ruling. The Court particularly criticizes the fact that the employees were not sufficiently foreseeable as to the conditions under which the continuation of their strike could be judged to be unlawful. The Swiss courts should have taken greater account of the importance of the right to strike and the interests of employees. According to the ECHR, the criminal convictions of four trade union secretaries for peacefully picketing also violate trade union freedom.
    The SGB appreciates the persistent commitment of the VPOD and Syna unions - and in particular the affected employees. They have fought for their rights for almost 15 years and have made an important contribution to protecting trade union rights throughout Switzerland.
    The judgment has significance far beyond the individual case…”SGB ​​report from November 6, 2026 
  • Judgment from Strasbourg: Finally satisfaction for hospital strikers
    “In 2013, the La Providence private hospital summarily dismissed 22 strikers in Neuchâtel for resisting deterioration in their working conditions. Only now, almost 15 years later, has the International Court of Human Rights confirmed their fundamental right to strike. (…) The verdict is a clear victory for the unions and a slap for Switzerland. It confirms that the right to strike is a fundamental right and cannot be undermined by the courts.
    On the employer side
    Former employees of the La Providence private hospital in Neuchâtel had sued. They were threatened with massive deterioration in their working conditions. They fought against this with the unions in 2012 and 2013. Because of this industrial dispute, 22 of them were dismissed without notice. And four union secretaries were criminally convicted of trespassing. Neither those fired nor the unions accepted this violation of the right to strike and took the matter to court. But the Swiss judiciary sided with the employers. The Federal Court also ruled in 2019 that the strike was illegal and that the dismissals and convictions were therefore legal.
    Freedom of assembly violated
    Now the clear verdict from the European Court of Justice: The ECHR has unanimously ruled that Switzerland has violated Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association) of the European Convention on Human Rights. And further: Neither the Swiss Federal Constitution nor national case law would provide a basis for the court to declare a lawful strike unlawful simply because the employer made an offer. For the ECHR it is clear: it is primarily up to the trade unions and employees to judge whether a strike must continue. The ECHR awards the wrongfully dismissed employees compensation of 10,000 euros and the affected union secretaries 5,000 euros…”Article by Parzival Meister from November 6, 2026 in work – Unia newspaper – with a comprehensive review
• Solidarity demonstration: against abusive dismissals on Saturday, June 1st - at 2 p.m. in Geneva, on the Place du Molard
  See the leaflet “Manifestation of solidarity on the same day in Geneva!“ also with German information

• Large demonstration in Neuchâtel: Rally for dismissed employees of the Neuchâtel clinic
  “According to the union, up to 2,000 people demonstrated in the city in western Switzerland on Saturday against the dismissal of 22 employees of the La Providence clinic and for the retention of the collective employment contract. Syna central secretary Chantal Hayoz spoke to the SDA news agency of a “great success”. Far more people came than at the protest march on January 26th. Around 500 people took part in the show of solidarity for the strikers and the protest against the takeover of the La Providence clinic...“Report in the NZZ from February 16, 2013
• “A set-up game”
  The strike continues against the threatened privatization of the La Providence Clinic in Neuchâtel. The cantonal government is increasingly coming under criticism.Article by Jan Jirát in the WOZ from February 14, 2013

• Layoffs in the “La Providence” hospital: Federal Councilor Schneider-Ammann must intervene!
  “Yesterday, the management of the “La Providence” hospital in Neuchâtel announced at a media conference that it was terminating without notice the employment of the 22 employees who went on strike to defend the continuation of the existing collective agreement. The employees were not informed of this step in advance. This news caused great consternation among the assembled board of Travail.Suisse, the independent umbrella organization for employees. It should not be possible in Switzerland - and is also not legally tenable - for employees to have to expect immediate dismissal if they use a constitutional right to support social partnership. If the “La Providence” hospital is successful with this approach, it would cause immense and almost irreparable damage to the institution of social partnership and thus to one of Switzerland's most important trump cards in international location competition. The board of Travail.Suisse today wrote to Federal Councilor Schneider-Ammann to intervene with those responsible at the “La Providence” hospital, to mediate between the parties and to work for a reliable social partnership.“Press release from Travail.Suisse from February 5, 2013

• Strike in the Neuchâtel hospital “La Providence”: Prevent state-funded wage dumping
  "What is taken for granted throughout the Swiss economy should be repealed in Neuchâtel? In the Neuchâtel healthcare system, there is a cantonal collective employment agreement called "Santé 21", which applies to all hospitals, most retirement and nursing homes, and even to the Neuchâtel Spitex. According to current law, a hospital that wants subsidies from the canton and to be on the cantonal hospital list must comply with this industry GAV. It's the same in all other industries: If the state buys goods, construction contracts or other services with tax money, it is not allowed to use it to dump wages. He must demand from the supplier that the employment conditions customary in the location and industry are adhered to...“Contribution to the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions from December 18, 2012

• Hospital strike in Neuchâtel
  “Management responded to the first warning strike on September 18th with repression, threats and delaying negotiations. The state also tried to take action against the willingness to fight and declared a first strike attempt illegal. The hospital employees did not allow themselves to be intimidated, decided on further combat measures on November 22nd and went on strike on November 26th. They are fighting to maintain the current GAV Santé 21, against the threat of outsourcing and against current waves of layoffs“ – this is how the call begins “Solidarity with the strikers at La Providence Hospital in Neuchâtel“ Under construction on December 5th, 2012 - the site also provides background information and opportunities for solidarity.

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