In the midst of the social movement of SNCF controllers, and in opposition to the right as well as certain elected representatives of the majority who said they were in favor of limiting the right to strike, the left is taking a position in favor of the mobilized employees. The leader of the “rebellious” deputies, Mathilde Panot, thus opposed a restriction of this right, insisting that “the right to strike is social democracy”at the microphone of BFM-TV/RMCFriday February 16.
Face “to a government that listens to nothing and no one”, the elected official La France insoumise also encouraged all workers to mobilize before and during the Paris Olympic Gameswhich will take place from July 26 to August 11, “if the balance of power is more favorable to them”. When “the government only hears the balance of power, well we must use the balance of power to the maximum”she estimated.
Before targeting a double standard of elected Republican (LR) officials, who went to the front so that “framed” the right to strike of SNCF agents, in relation to their reaction to the anger of farmers: “Remember, a few weeks ago, all these people, especially the Republicans, said “blocking the roads, there is no problem”. » She therefore ordered them to ” do the same thing “ by supporting controllers on strike to demand better consideration of their working conditions.
“I think this strike is perfectly legitimate, I understand the discomfort of users during this holiday period, that said, there are demands. The SNCF management bears full responsibility for this situation”also declared Friday the communist senator of Paris, Ian Brossat, on LCIin solidarity with striking employees. For himthe right to strike, which “has already been reformed many times”must not be modified. “The best remedy for a strike is social dialogue”he argued.
The right wants to tighten the rules, the majority open to the idea
While the social movement is in full swing at the SNCF during this holiday weekend, the right demanded during the week a reform to “frame” the right to strike, with some elected officials fearing in particular a “blackmail of the unions with the executive” before the Olympic Games. “We must say stop to those who take the French hostage”, said the president of the right-wing party, Eric Ciotti, on Thursday. Claiming that he “there has not been a year without a strike since 1947” in the public company, he announced his intention to “lay down legislative texts to regulate” the right to strike in transport.
Traveling to Venissieux, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, agreed by declaring: “The Republicans will assume their responsibility by tabling a bill intended to prohibit strikes during school periods. » “The strike must be the ultimate weapon”but she is “become an instrument of negotiation”also pointed out the President of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, who said he was in favor of new legislative measures to regulate social movements, supporting a proposal put forward by centrist senators, allies of the right.
The text tabled on Wednesday – and which cannot be examined before April – by the head of the Union of Independent Democrats (UDI), Hervé Marseille, notably plans to grant the government an annual capital of sixty days of strike ban , distributed by decree within a limit of fifteen days per ban period, as explained on Thursday by the one for whom “the right to strike is not threatened, but simply overused” In France.
In the majority too, the initiative is not to displease. “I would have happily voted for this bill”, even said Thursday the new delegate minister responsible for overseas territories, Marie Guévenoux (Renaissance), if she was still sitting in the Assembly – her mandate as deputy being suspended during the exercise of her ministerial functions. The president of the Macronist senators, François Patriat, also recognized that he would think about “all developments” which would make it possible to supervise “these untimely strikes”.
Gabriel Attal defends a “duty to work”
Questioned during a trip Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, for his part considered that, if “the strike is a right”, “working is a duty “. He deplored “a form of habit, [toutes les fois que des vacances] arrive, to have the announcement of a strike movement » railway workers, adding that “it is also the image of the SNCF which, each time, takes a hit”.
Several parliamentary proposals have already attempted, in recent years, to toughen the 2007 law on minimum service in transport, particularly after the episode of the 2022 Christmas weekend which left 200,000 travelers in the lurch. But none prospered. A text from the senatorial right prohibiting notices around public holidays and on “the first two and the last two days” school holidays are also in the pipeline.
On the far right, the elected representatives of the National Rally, for their part, held a crest line, defending “the salary question” at the origin of the social conflict, while regretting the mode of action. The vice-president of the party, Sébastien Chenu, said: “not in favor of banning the right to strike in our country”arguing: “I would never blame people who get up early for trying to defend their purchasing power. » Even if ” on Form (…), It’s complicated to understand that this is the time to make yourself heard” in the middle of school holidays, he added.