U“historic” mobilization. On Thursday, 75% of primary school teachers decided to strike, responding to the call of SNUipp-FSU, the first primary union. This strike, combined with health restrictions, will push half of the schools to remain closed on Thursday. “This historic mobilization by its magnitude over the last twenty years is not” a strike against the virus “, but illustrates the growing fed-up in schools”, writes the union in a press release. The SNUipp-FSU denounces “deteriorating working conditions” and “the permanent lies of the Minister of Education”, Jean-Michel Blanquer, who had launched Tuesday morning: “We do not go on strike against a virus. “
Monday evening, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a relaxation of the health protocol in the face of the Covid epidemic in schools and the risk of mayhem. Three simple self-tests for contact cases at school, without obligation of antigen test or PCR, are now required. “Not only does the current protocol not protect students, staff and their families, it also completely disrupts the school. Thus, contrary to repeated government claims, it is not the school that is open but a form of “daycare” ”, denounces the SNUipp-FSU.
Other days of strike under consideration
According to the union, “under the current conditions, the students cannot learn properly, their number being very fluctuating and hybrid education between face-to-face and distance learning impossible to implement”. The SNUipp-FSU also points to “the non-replacement of sick teachers which is becoming untenable”.
Thus, he says that he “will do everything to ensure that the government finally hears the anger of the staff. After January 13, if necessary, he will propose new unitary mobilizations in the face of governmental contempt, for the health security of the school and the necessary recruitment of personnel ”. “This staff anger is not a cyclical epiphenomenon, but takes root both in the inability coupled with incompetence to manage the health crisis at school and also more generally in the educational policy conducted for five years which is damaging school and despises the staff, ”assures the union.
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Jean Castex reported 10,400 closed classes, or 2% of primary classes, Tuesday before the National Assembly. Jean-Michel Blanquer spoke on Tuesday morning of 50,000 cumulative positive cases out of 12 million students.
Majority in the primary, the SNUipp-FSU launched last Friday a call for a national strike for January 13 in order to “obtain the conditions of a secure school under Omicron”. He was joined by most of the other teachers’ unions, SE-Unsa, Snes-FSU, Snalc, CGT Educ’action, SUD Education, FO and Sgen-CFDT.