Employee and works commissions at Stahl Gerlafingen launch petition

A petition has been launched by the Employee and Works Commissions at Stahl Gerlafingen, in collaboration with the unions Unia and Syna, the Swiss Commercial Association, and Angestellte Schweiz, in response to the critical situation facing the company. The petition is directed at the Beltrame Group, the owner of Stahl Gerlafingen, one of Switzerland’s two remaining steelworks. The plant employs around 500 workers who produce recycled steel from scrap, playing a key role in promoting sustainability within the construction industry.

Stahl Gerlafingen is currently grappling with severe challenges, including competition from cheaper international steel, rising electricity costs, and trade barriers. These difficulties have already led to the announcement of a second wave of mass layoffs this year, placing the future of the plant in jeopardy.

The petition emphasizes the importance of preserving domestic steel production in Switzerland to maintain a circular economy with short supply chains, which is seen as vital for the country’s ecological transition.

The petitioners are urging the Swiss government to introduce binding regulations that would require the use of low-emission recycled steel in public procurement and the broader construction industry. This, they argue, would create new market opportunities for local producers of recycled steel and support the struggling industry. At the same time, they are calling on the Beltrame Group to avoid further layoffs and instead retain employees through short-time work programs.

The petition reflects widespread concern among the plant’s workers and their supporters over the future of Stahl Gerlafingen and the broader impact on Switzerland’s steel industry and environmental goals.

Source: Unia