Networks and Political Contention over Unemployment: A Comparison of Britain, Germany and Switzerland

In 2006, more than half a million Germans took part in about 500 May Day parades organized throughout their country. Leaders of the main trade unions mobilized mass support against the “reforms” of the Merkel government of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats: the reorganization of the public health system, the raising of the national retirement age, and the extension of the trial period of six months for young employees to two years. The unemployed played a crucial role in this mobilization, as they were the first to challenge the overhaul of the German welfare system, set in progress by the previous Social Democrat government. Since the summer of 2004, the unemployed have engaged in widespread demonstrations, opposing closures of state-run enterprises, provisions for a more flexible labor market, and plans to cut public spending on healthcare and pensions. In Switzerland, by contrast, the unemployed have voiced their claims through more conventional forms of action. In this case, there has been virtually no recourse to public protest, highly symbolic initiatives, and/or direct mobilizations in the streets for challenging national and subnational governments. Policy makers have paid increased attention to the unemployed, at least since the latter won a 1996 referendum on unemployment legislation.