Trade unions OGBL and LCGB, joined by other groups, are organising a major protest in Luxembourg City on 28 June to demand urgent reforms in healthcare, pensions, and working conditions, calling for solidarity from residents and cross-border workers alike.
Activists from the Independent Luxembourg Confederation of Trade Unions (OGBL) and the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) have been reaching out to the public, such as during an awareness campaign in Belval on Tuesday, to raise interest and support for the major national protest on Saturday. Just 500 metres away, placards are being painted in preparation for maximum visibility during the weekend protest.
According to Alain Rolling from the OGBL, the unions have invested all their energy into this mobilisation and are hoping for a strong turnout on 28 June.
The protest will address a wide range of issues, from Sunday working conditions and pension reforms to concerns in the healthcare sector. One of the signs being prepared reads "Health is not a commodity" – a sentiment echoed by Sandra Kaufmann, a hospital employee at the Hospital Centre of Luxembourg (CHL), who said that over the past 18 months, healthcare has increasingly been pushed aside.
She explained that the sector is in crisis and urgently needs proper funding, a demand she noted had been completely ignored in the PM Luc Frieden's recent State of the Nation address. According to her, front-line staff are struggling, and without adequate support, it’s impossible to deliver proper care to patients.
Protesters are demanding structural reforms, including the introduction of a staffing ratio that ensures teams are sufficiently resourced and protected, rather than being pushed to work longer before retirement. Kaufmann added that many workers on the ground are already unable to continue due to physical strain and described recent decisions as deeply disappointing.
The unions are placing great importance on this demonstration and hope for a significant turnout – not just from Luxembourg residents but also from cross-border workers, many of whom are already involved in the unions. Rolling stressed the need for their support and is optimistic they will help mobilise colleagues from neighbouring countries as well.
With just days to go, the mood is tense but also filled with anticipation. Rolling noted that this feeling would likely intensify as the demonstration approached and expressed hope that it would not only be a powerful display of solidarity but also send a clear signal to the government: decisions cannot be made without involving the people most affected.
The demonstration is set to begin at 11am on Saturday, just next to Luxembourg City's central train station.
