Le Monde with AFP
French Polynesia, in turn, knows a movement against the immunization obligation. A largely majority intersyndicta began a general strike, Wednesday, November 24, to protest against this measure and to claim the introduction of social measures.
Four local unions, out of the five across the overseas community, challenge the law on vaccination obligation, voted in August by the French Polynesia Assembly. All the Polynesians who work in contact with the public will have to be vaccinated on December 23, while less than 58% of the inhabitants are currently vaccinated, despite a strong wave due to Variant Delta in August and September.
The movement mobilizes little in the public service: less than 1% of education and administration employees went on strike. It is more followed in the companies that have internal claims.
The Polynesian President Edouard Fritch, said he was ready to diminish the fine incurred by the non-vaccinated, but not to return to this law: “My duty is to protect the population and therefore to maintain The immunization obligation, “he said at a press point on Wednesday.
Unions also want a 4% increase in the minimum wage. The government was ready to increase it by 2% and one more point in a few months. The gross minimum wage is € 1,281 in Polynesia, where the cost of living is higher than in metropolis.