A major strike day is scheduled for Thursday, January 19 at the national level, to protest against the pension reform. Some National Education unions will also be mobilized this Tuesday, January 17. A black week is therefore to be feared in schools.
[Mise à jour du 13 janvier 2023 à 17h02]. The pension reformpresented by Elisabeth Borne on January 10, does not pass with the unions and a good part of the population. To protest against the measures of the pension system, all sectors of professional activity are thus called upon to mobilize during a strike scheduled for Thursday, January 19, 2023. The eight main French unions (CFDT, CGT, CGE-CGC, CFTC, FO, FSU, Unsa and Solidaires) have decided to stand together and have announced a day of strikes and demonstrations on Thursday, January 19, 2023. Moreover, before this movement, a another call for mobilization is planned in schools on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Strike of January 17: “salaries, professional life and working conditions in education”
The FSU, the first teacher trade union federation, has launched a second strike movement in schools on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. “The FSU committed before the departure on leave in a day of action on salaries, career paths and working conditions in education January 17″, she says in a communicated. For this day of January 17, various actions will be carried out, “which can be outside working hours, to make our educational requirements visible everywhere in the territories: gatherings, demonstrations, happenings, etc.”
January 19 strike in schools against pension reform
Several National Education trade union organizations are in the process of mobilizing for the strike day of January 19, 2023. Among which the CGT Education, the CFDT Sgen, the Fnec FP-FO, the FSU, the Snalc, the SUD Solidaires Education, and the UNSA Education. In a joint statement, the unions are calling “staff to meet in schools, establishments, services (…) to mobilize strongly” for the withdrawal of the pension reform. The general secretary of Snetaa-FO, the leading vocational education union, announced to the newspaper Le Figarothat the movement should be widely followed in vocational high schools. “Classes will be closed, entire vocational schools will close. And the mobilization will last”, he commented.
Is a minimum reception service provided for in the schools?
In the event of a strike in schools, a minimum reception service is provided for by law, under certain conditions. Primary schools (primary and elementary schools) must ensure a minimum reception service for all their studentswhen there are more than 25% of teachers declared on strike. “A pupil in primary school (kindergarten or elementary) must be welcomed during class time, even if his teacher or mistress is absent. This reception service is free. It is provided differently at public schools and at private school under contract”indicates the site of the Public Service, according to the law in force since 2008. On the other hand, colleges or high schools are not subject to this obligation. The same applies to crèches and after-school care in the structures.
Are teachers obliged to declare themselves strikers in advance?
The right to strike in National Education responds to a few obligations. In the first degree, school teachers must declare their intention to go on strike in advance, at least 48 hours before the movement, respecting one working day. It is therefore not possible to declare oneself a striker on Friday if the strike takes place on Monday. If the teacher does not inform his management, he incurs a disciplinary sanction, indicates the ministry’s website.
In colleges and high schools, if a notice has already been given by a union, teachers are not obliged to declare themselves to be on strike in advance. It is up to the management of the establishment to carry out a census of the strikers and to inform the pupils and their families of them in advance. In fact, some teachers also use interactive platforms with students and families to announce their participation or not a few hours before the start of classes. Advice: do not hesitate to contact the school management a few days before or the day before to find out the details of the mobilization to come.