Employees of Merck Serono are expected to resume a strike action Thursday, protesting the planned closure of the company’s Geneva headquarters.

Staff voted on the strike Tuesday.

About a dozen employees of Merck Serono yesterday declared themselves on hunger strike in front of the headquarters. 

A number of supporters were also outside the company, which decided not to renegotiate a social plan with employees. 

More than 1,200 jobs will leave the region with the closure, though Merck Serono said it would invest in spin-off companies, and said it hopes to announce other initiatives soon.