Strike of January 19 in schools: participation rate, renewable strike?

[Mise à jour du 19 janvier à 15h39] The Thursday, January 19 strike mobilized all National Education staff and many classes and schools were closed. In many cities, thousands of demonstrators, including teachers and student unions marched through the streets to protest the government pension reform plan. High school students also took part in the movement and blocked the entrance to several establishments to defend their future retirement. Not to mention the canteen and school transport services which are not provided in some municipalities. And while the ministry unveiled this morning the strike participation ratewith a general weighted average of 35.15% in National Education and 38.50% on average for teachers, the intersyndicale will decide to find out if the movement continues in the coming days on a national level.

What rate of participation in the strike in schools, colleges and high schools?

The Ministry of National Education and Youth communicated this Thursday morning the participation rates in the social movement for the metropolitan academies:

• General average on strike in National Education: 35.15%
• General average of teachers: 38.50%
• Average of 1st degree teachers: 42.35%
• Average of secondary school teachers: 34.66%
• Participation in colleges is estimated at 41.17%,
• in general and technological high schools at 30.04%
• in vocational high schools at 20.99%.

Towards new strikes in schools?

Renew the strike in the schools in the coming days or even weeks is a subject that is on the table among the teachers’ unions. The evening before the January 19 strike, a first meeting between the Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye and all the union organizations representing teachers took place. The objective was to talk about the plan for the upgrading of the teaching profession. Except that the exchanges did not entirely satisfy the unions. In a Press release dated January 18, the SNES and the FSU “denounce the lack of progress on the issue of salaries“. The FSU even implies that new strikes could take placein the national education sector. “The FSU will continue the mobilizations in the interprofessional framework as well as at the level of education, the success of the strike and the demonstrations of tomorrow January 19 takes on even greater relief in this context”, says the union.

A similar statement was announced by the secretary general of the CGT Philippe Martinez before the departure of the Parisian procession, this Thursday, January 19. “If there is no positive response from the government, today as I said: this is the first stage, and there will be a second stage”. The inter-union must meet this Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at the headquarters of Solidaires to decide on the renewal of the strike.

High school strike: several establishments blocked

The strike of Thursday January 19 also concerns high school students, who are mobilizing against the government’s pension reform plan. This Thursday morning, in Paris, several high schools were blocked. High school students and sometimes parents of support students block the doors of establishments brandishing placards against pension reform. The police were present on the spot and had to use tear gas aerosols to disperse the young people who blocked the entrance to the establishments. “We are in total solidarity with the workers, but not only. This reform has a direct impact on us and only young people can make things happen.“declared this morning Thomas Alves, president of FIDL94 at the Parisian. These blockades were initiated by several high school student unions, including the Mouvement National Lycéen (MNL). “Blockades are the only way for young people to be heard by the government”, MNL secretary Aldo Chibani told BFMTV on January 16, 2023.

What if my child’s school or class is closed?

For parents who want to know if a reception service will be maintained for this strike day, the answer is yes. “In many schools, when it is not closed, only a few teachers will teach the class“, said the teachers’ union in its press release. Invited on RMC, Guislaine David recalled thata minimum childcare service is compulsory in primary schools, nursery schools and primary schools. “This is why we must (teachers editor’s note) declare at least 48 hours in advance to organize this service”, comments the secretary general of the Snuipp-FSU. On the other hand, it specifies that in certain territories this service may not be set up. “There are places where schools will be completely closed and where town halls will not be able to organize this reception service.” In cases where there is no childcare service in place, the parents of students must on their side find a solution to have their children looked after (nanny, baby sitter, care by a neighbour, trusted neighbor or grandparents). Without a solution, some parents have no choice but to ask for an RTT day or a telework day.

Can a student be turned away from school during a strike?

In the first degree, even if there is a planned strike in a school, under no circumstances can a pupil be refused school. “A pupil in primary school (nursery 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 school and at private school under contract”indicates the site of the Public Service, according to the law in force since 2008.

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.