Salaries, unemployment insurance, pensions: some 200 gathering points are planned throughout France, Tuesday, to hand over the social issues at the heart of the debate, to a little over six months of the presidential.
Le Monde with AFP
Trade unions believe that there is no time to lose. Employees and unemployed are called to strike and demonstrate, Tuesday, October 5, throughout France, to demand “urgent responses” to social issues, including wages, at a little over six months of the presidential election.
“We need urgent answers now (…) When there are people in the street that weighs,” said CGT Secretary-General Philippe Martinez on LCI on Monday. Social mobilizations are also needed “so that social issues (…) are even more present” in the campaign, has he argued.
Some 200 gathering points are planned anywhere in France, according to Céline Verzeletti, Confederal Secretary of the CGT. “It’s a first indication that is positive for us,” she welcomed.
The strike is however little followed in transport, the SNCF providing for “normal” traffic for TGVs, and “almost normal” for ter, except in Normandy where it will be “disturbed”. At the RATP, “the traffic will be normal” on the networks “Metro, RER (A and B) and tram, except the T3 tram that will be very disturbed”, according to a spokesman. The circulation of buses will be “slightly disturbed,” he added.
Salaries at the heart of claims
In Paris, where the negotiations with the prefecture were difficult, the procession will leave from the place of the Republic, at 2 pm, in the direction of Opera, with a dispersion planned at the corner of the street La Fayette and From the street of Antin’s Chaussée. “Thousands of people are expected”, according to a police source.
CGT, FO, Solidarity Unions, FSU, as well as FIDL, MNL, UNL and UNL Youth Organizations, had called on this interprofessional day of strike and demonstration on August 30. They say in a common text on Monday “urgency to upgrade the classifications of professional branches, increase the SMIC, the point of public service index, pensions, social minima and scholarships” .
Hat up at the CGT Headquarters in Montreuil, five of the nine public service unions have focused on the issue of wages during a press conference on Monday. “It can not afford to take another six months to think, there is a salary emergency in the public service and in the world of work,” said Gaëlle Martinez, the General Delegate of Solidarity Public Service.
inflation (+ 2.1% year-over-year in September according to an interim estimate of INSEE on Thursday) and the good results of CAC 40 companies in the first half, superior to those of 2019, have surrendered on the Top of the battery This question, emphasizes M me Verzeletti.
Unemployment insurance and pensions also in question
The ranks of the protesters will be magnified by the opponents to the reform of unemployment insurance, entered into force on Friday, and which leads to reducing the benefits of the unemployed “permittent”, chained short contracts and periods of unemployment. All the unions are expected to file remedies against the reform this week, including the first of them, the CFDT, which has not stopped denouncing the reform but will not join protesters on Tuesday.
Another point of vigilance, the question of pensions, which continues to plan on the end of Emmanuel Macron’s mandate and will be a key topic of the presidential campaign. Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe pleaded to repel the starting age “at 65, 66 or 67 years”, in an interview in Challenges published Thursday.
“On October 5, we have an interest in giving a strong signal because I fear the outbid during the election period,” said Friday, Yves Veyrier, Secretary General of Force Lover.
The issue of the health care will also be part of the words. Although the CGT did not call to scroll through the opponents during their Saturday events, it is hostile to this compulsory instrument and vaccination, “liberticide measures that undermine the guarantees and rights of the Workers “, accused M me verzeletti.