Updated: March 2
Times are speeding up: the French government has just decided to use Article 49.3 of the Constitution which allows it to avoid debates in the National Assembly on its pension reform.
The trade unions are therefore calling for mobilisation from Monday 2 March to denounce this change in force.
[Read the interunion press release (in French)https://www.cgt.fr/actualites/retraite/mobilisation/intersyndicale-une-seule-reponse-simpose-la-mobilisation]
Updated: February 7
Excerpt from the inter-union communiqué of February 6
"Withdrawal, that’s all. The days of 5 and 6 February were new high points of mobilization and strikes, of youth and employees.
Every week since 5 December, AGMs have multiplied in workplaces, high schools and universities despite the various pressures. [...]
They call for the preparation of new high points of mobilization, around March 8, international day of struggle for women’s rights. They would indeed be the biggest losers with this bill on pensions.
It is in this context of continuous mobilization that our trade unions and youth organizations are calling on all young people, employees, the unemployed and pensioners to a new day of convergence of strikes and demonstrations on 20 February."
Read the press release in its entirety (in French)
Updated: January 30
Excerpt from the inter-union communiqué of January 29th
"An historic mobilization in terms of its strength and duration, the unfailing support of public opinion, the opinion of the Council of State: the pension reform project has never been so fragile. The organisations CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, UNEF, MNL, UNL call on the entire world of work and on young people to continue and amplify, in all sectors, the mobilisation now and throughout the parliamentary debate which opens next week with diversified actions: rallies, torchlight retreats, repositories of symbolic tools of the trades, etc...
On 5 February, the organisations support the youth organisations’ mobilisation initiative and encourage to build local and diversified initiatives.
They call for the Thursday 6 February to be a new inter-professional day of strikes and demonstrations on the occasion of the start of the work of the special committee of the National Assembly. They call for parliamentarians to be called upon..."
Read the press release in its entirety (in French)
Interactive map of social movements
Updated on January 23
RATP and SNCF’s renewable strikes have been stopped, but there are many local inter-professional and sectoral actions throughout France and links are being created with the Yellow Vests.
The day of action on Friday 24 January, the day on which the draft law will be examined by the Council of Ministers, will be an important test for the movement.
The strike funds are working well. However, they do not cover the wage losses of such a long strike. Contribute (see below)!
In the evening of January 23rd, many torchlight marches will take place in France. See map
January 22nd Inter-Union Communiqué (in French)
The strike goes on! Support it!!!
https://www.lepotcommun.fr/pot/solidarite-financiere
https://utip.io/recondustream
Updated on January 16
Excerpt from the inter-union communiqué of January 15:
[…]
Despite the Prime Minister’s announcements and after 6 weeks of an unprecedented social movement, which we welcome, the majority of the population still supports the mobilization against this absurd and unjust project (60% support, according to the Harris Interactive barometer of January 14).
[…]
The CFE-CGC, CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, UNEF, UNL, MNL, FIDL trade union organisations, which together form a majority, demand the maintenance of the existing pension schemes based on a system of annuities and solidarity and intergenerational pay-as-you-go.
[…]
The inter-union group brings forward proposals to improve the rights of all in the current pension plan. They are based on social contributions and the wealth created by work.
[…]
This is why the trade union organisations CFE-CGC, CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, MNL, UNEF, UNL and FIDL are calling for general assemblies to continue and further amplify the mobilisation in order to obtain the withdrawal of this project and the opening of real negotiations on the basis of our proposals.
Our organisations call on the whole world of work and on young people to continue and strengthen the strike, including the renewal of the strike wherever the employees decide. They call for strike action and inter-professional convergences throughout the country on 22 and 23 January. They propose to organise "Torchlight Retreats" or other initiatives in all cities on the evening of Thursday 23rd.
They call for Friday 24 January, the date of the Council of Ministers which should examine the bill, to be made a massive day of strikes and inter-professional demonstrations.
Read the entire communiqué (in French)
The strike goes on! Support it!!!
https://www.lepotcommun.fr/pot/solidarite-financiere
https://utip.io/recondustream
Updated on January 15
Under pressure from the mobilization, the government announced a temporary withdrawal of the pivotal age of 64. Indeed, some trade unions were not opposed to the project of point-based pensions, but were opposed to this pivot age. This withdrawal can therefore be understood as a strategy to divide the trade union front.
Moreover, the debate on police violence weakens the government’s position, particularly that of the Minister of the Interior, after the publication of several videos.
Be that as it may, the CFE-CGC, CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, MNL, UNEF and UNL front wants to continue mobilizing until the bill is withdrawn completely.
Tomorrow, 16th of January, a new day of action is planned!
Updated on January 10
Following a new and strong mobilization on Thursday, January 9, the Inter-Union calls for the strike movement to continue and strengthen. It calls for a new day of popular action on Saturday, January 11 and Tuesday, January 14 and the following days.
Link to the inter-union declaration (in French)
Updated on January 6
The social movement in France begins a crucial week. During the end-of-year holidays, the strike was maintained, mainly in transport, especially at the SNCF and RATP (Paris).
The government reaffirmed, through the voice of Mr. Macron in the wishes to the French people of 31 December, its willingness to maintain the reform of the pension system.
A day of action, strike and demonstration is scheduled for Thursday, January 9. Today, Monday 6 January, several workers’ assemblies will be held at different refineries in the country. A prolonged strike in this sector could weaken the government’s position. The arm wrestling continues!
Updated on December 30
The strike goes on! Support it!!!
https://www.lepotcommun.fr/pot/solidarite-financiere
https://utip.io/recondustream
Updated on December 20
Inter-union declaration of 19 December calling for the movement to continue and calling for a big day of action on 9 January 2020.
On Monday 16 December, the High Commissioner for Pensions and the author of the preliminary study on pension reform, Jean-Paul Delevoye, had to resign. Indeed, he had "omitted" to inform on some of his remunerated mandates, moreover in the field of private insurance, which constitutes an obvious conflict of interest. This fact further weakens the government’s position.
Updated on December 17
A day of action and mobilization is planned for Tuesday, December 17. Many rallies are planned: https://paris.demosphere.net/rv/75694
There is a lot of talk about the transport strike, but there are many actions in several sectors: https://www.frontsocialuni.fr/les-luttes-invisibles
Trade union support comes from all over the world.
Compilation of letters of international support received by the CGT
In addition....
CNE/CSC Motion of Support
Support from Verdi
List of online pools:http://syndicollectif.fr/caisses-de-greve-suites/
Updated on December 11
Since 5 December, the French social and trade union movement has been mobilising against a anti-social reform of pensions (see below).
Since that day, several sectors have been on a repeatable strike, such as transport and energy. The watchword is mobilization until the bill is completely withdrawn.
The Prime Minister’s announcements on 11 December did not satisfy the trade union organisations. In short, the strike continues. New major days of action are scheduled for December 12 and 17.
Analysis of Solidaires on Prime Minister’s annoucements (in French)
Engaging in such an arm wrestling match with the government requires significant sacrifices for workers, particularly financial workers. That is why we invite you, as an individual or organization, to financially support strikers through the following online pools:
https://www.lepotcommun.fr/pot/solidarite-financiere
https://utip.io/recondustream
Updated on December 6
In France, the mobilization on pensions continues: strikes renewed since December 5 in transport, in some schools and companies. Tuesday 10 will be another inter-professional day of demonstrations after they brought together 1.5 million demonstrators on 5 December. The government is not giving up while trying to make partial concessions to the more striking sectors.
Inter-union Declaration (in French)
In France, a showdown is underway against the government over pensions.
The social movement opposes the project to introduce a points-based pension system and calls for an improvement of the existing system, which has suffered a deterioration as a result of previous reforms.
The CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires as well as student and high school unions are calling for a strike on December 5. They were joined by the CGC and at local or sectoral level by other trade union organisations.
Calls to renew the strike exist in several sectors, including transport. The assembly of the assemblies of the Yellow Vests called for joining the movement; feminist organizations, young people fighting against precariousness as well.
More information:
For CGT : https://www.cgt.fr/dossiers/pas-de-hasard-pour-ma-retraite-je-veux-savoir-quand-et-avec-combien-je-partirai
For FSU : http://fsu.fr/retraites-en-greve-le-5-decembre/
For Solidaires : https://retraites.solidaires.org/
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