Beyond the Women’s Strike: “Wages. Time. Respect.”

It subscribes to the motto “Wages. Time. Respect” and draws attention to the following concerns that go beyond the strike:

Wages: equality between women and men reduces poverty, which mostly affects women. The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches wishes that everyone may enjoy humane living conditions. It is committed to equal pay and a gender-sensitive configuration of the labor market and pensions.

Time: care work is indispensable for our society’s existence. The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches wishes that unpaid home and care work may become more visible and appreciated. It is committed to ensuring that volunteer work, which is largely done by women, is reported in its member churches.

Respect: sexual violence is intolerable. The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches wants a church without transgressions and sexual assault. It supports the implementation of appropriate preventive and intervention measures in its member churches.

FSPC President Gottfried Locher stood behind these demands and said: “Wages, time, respect: the Protestant Church in Switzerland is committed to these. We will continue saying this even after the strike until they apply to all, to all women and men: wages, time, respect.”

On the path toward more equality also in the workplace, many member churches of the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches and its offices have already received the seal of approval of the expert organization UND. It advises and certifies family-friendly employers who improve gender equality through a wide range of measures (e.g. flexible working time models).