National general strike of 1918

During the First World War (1914 to 1918), many workers in Switzerland were badly off. Prices rose sharply, wages hardly at all. There was not enough food. Many people worked ten hours a day, six days a week. Many families could hardly pay for rent and food. The soldiers at the border also received little pay. Discontent grew, and there were more and more strikes.

In November 1918, the trade unions and the Social Democratic Party called a national general strike (Landesstreik). This is a strike across the whole country. Around 250 000 people stopped work. Trains, factories and many businesses came to a standstill. The Federal Council sent the army into the cities. After three days, the strike leaders called off the strike to avoid violence.

The strikers had nine demands, for example the 48-hour week, an old-age insurance and women's suffrage. Some demands were soon met: the 48-hour week came in 1919. From 1919, the National Council was elected by proportional representation. Other demands only came much later: the AHV in 1948, women's suffrage in 1971.

Memory aid: 1918 strike, 1919 the 48 hours.