Altogether 60 further locations are indirectly threatened amounting to 590 jobs in the Cargo division and the SBB infrastructure division. The reason given for the dismantling is simple: after the business numbers published in August this year were bad, unprofitable services are supposed to be closed. In fact, the agreement achievement between the union and SBB in such a case means that Cargo must propose any such measures to the parliament (Bundesrat). At the Bundesrat, it is to be decided now whether it wants to preserve the status quo of a all over operation of goods trains throughout the country or whether it is ready to slim down the operation and so fail to uphold the policies clearly desired by the population of shifting the transport of goods from the road onto rail.

«Foresight is the name of the game» – this well known saying should be taken to heart by the middle class Bundesrat majority in this case. It concerns not only the maintenance of jobs, but also the issues around railway politics with such noble goals such as the protection of the environment, well-being of the population and meaningful planning. To close the 300 Cargo delivery points means to send 100,000 trucks onto Swiss streets. We hope that our ministers look at this case not only through the lenses of short-sighted accountants, but rather given its momentous importance to take into account also the health costs, security problems and the environmental stress, that such a truck avalanche would bring. For the Swiss Railworkers' Union (SEV), no doubt exists that goods traffic must be part of the public service requirement of the SBB and must therefore be supported.

François Gatabin, vice president SEV