Transport, education, energy… Le Figaro takes stock of this day of mobilization, during which the unions hope to bring together “one million demonstrators”.
Action reaction. Immediately after the presentation of the pension reform by the government, the unions – the CFDT, Force Ouvrière, the CFE-CGC, the Unsa, Solidaires, the CFTC, the FSU and the CGT – met at the Labor Exchange in Paris, this Tuesday, to agree on a joint response. They called on employees to mobilizestronglyduring a first day of strikes and demonstrations, Thursday 19 January.
The centrals, which can count on the support of left-wing parties, intend to bring together large processions, as in December 2019, to put pressure on the executive. Without certainty of succeeding, to date:We focus on the January 19 demonstration. If we don’t reach one million demonstrators, it’s going to be complicated. We hope to succeed in mobilizing private sector employees“claims Cyril Chabanier, president of the CFTC union. But what should we expect in the different sectors? Le Figaro make the point.
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In the transports
Furious to see the government’s reform project calling into question their special regime for new entrants, the RATP unions are calling for a strike. “Neither a day, nor a month, nor a year more“, protested the Unsa-Ferroviaire, when the Unsa traction of Paris Sud Est called to join the processions. “A strong mobilization of employees is expected. Our goal is to achieve the “zero transportation” but we don’t know if we’ll get there“, points out the CGT-RATP. The union has also called for a strike from January 12 at 7:30 p.m. to Saturday January 14 at 7 a.m., but to demand a wage increase. According to the management, this mobilization will have no impact on transport.
On the side of the SNCF, whose new agents have already been affiliated to the general pension scheme since January 1, 2020, mobilization also seems appropriate. “We are still concerned. It will be a punchy day, it will represent the launch barometer of the whole protest movement“, highlights Régis Hoffman, general secretary of the CFDT Cheminots Grand Est. In a press release, the CGT federation of railway workers also recalled its opposition to the reform, calling for a “riposte” fast. However, it is too early to anticipate the impact on train traffic in France.
SEE ALSO – RATP: the CGT announces a new strike on Thursday
in education
On the teacher side, the mobilization should also be followed, as in the previous reform of 2019. “They are quite assertive“, warns Cyril Chabanier, president of the CFTC. A movement that should be particularly followed by teachers in vocational high schools, already affected by a reform project wanted by Emmanuel Macron. “Classes will be closed, entire vocational high schools will close. And the mobilization will last», warns Pascal Vivier, secretary general of Snetaa-FO, the first trade union for vocational education.
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in the energy
Employees in the electricity and gas industries are affected by the end of special pension schemes. “It’s very impactful for us. The energy federations are meeting next Monday to consult but the expected mobilization must be strong“says Sébastien Miche, general delegate of the Energy Chemistry-CFDT Federation.
But for the moment, the movement should be limited to a call to strike and demonstrate. “We don’t necessarily want to make a splash. It could do us a disservice“, recognizes François Hommeril, confederal president of the CFE-CGC, union of the framing. In 2019, for example, lawyers threw their robes on the ground in protest, and the Paris Opera organized several events, including an outdoor concert.