At the call of the main unions, many National Education staff and more broadly the civil service are on strike this Thursday. The movement promises to be important.
Several organizations (CGT, CFDT, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC and FA-FP) have called for a national day of “action” and “strike” this Thursday, December 5. The action promises to be massively followed in the public service, particularly in National Education. School teachers “responded to the call for a strike from trade union organizations” with nearly “65% of strikers announced” in “first grade”, announced the FSU-SNUIpp, the majority primary school union, on December 3.
In question? First of all, the extension of the waiting period for the civil service to three days, compared to one currently. This measure constitutes the main axis of protest in the public service. “The change from 1 to 3 days of waiting time and the reduction in compensation for sick leave are punitive measures as if civil servants were guilty of being ill even though successive governments bear heavy responsibility for the deterioration of their working conditions and, ultimately, their health”, specifies a press release from the FSU, UNSA Education, CFDT EFRP, CGT Educ’action, SNALC, SUD Education. According to them, the reduction in salary will lead to a precariousness of agents, particularly among the poorest and women.
The strike will also be an opportunity to demand the abandonment of the reduction from 100% to 90% of sick leave compensation for civil servants. Also, “the 4,000 job cuts announced will further degrade the daily lives of our colleagues in schools, colleges and high schools. Public schools are at a tipping point, these measures will push them into the void”, criticizes the press release. . Let us remember, however, that these measures, presented by the Barnier government in its savings plan for the 2025 budget, i.e. 1.2 billion euros for the public service, are no longer guaranteed since the government was overthrown by a motion of censure .
However, the movement was maintained and major disruptions were announced. Many classes are closed this Thursday and canteens are also affected. The municipal police and even hospital staff are also responding to the call for a strike. Administrative services in town halls and departmental or regional councils could also be disrupted.
On the same date, all energy unions called employees in the sector to strike, in particular to demand an increase in wages. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, for its part, called on airlines to reduce their activity in a “preventive” manner. Flights are therefore canceled this Thursday.
Latest updates
10:45 – Unions address the next government
The demonstration of December 5 took place when the Barnier government had just been censored. The movement has been maintained even if the measures announced, in particular concerning the budget allocated to National Education, will therefore not necessarily be maintained. The FSU union then addressed the next government calling on it to “treat public service agents correctly”. “We are in a political in-between, but this strike is a powerful message about the need to treat public service agents correctly,” said Benoît Teste, general secretary of the FSU teaching union, on Franceinfo. He hopes that the “new government will rule out any idea of deficiency”.
10:30 – A minimum service set up in schools to welcome children
Since 2008, if your child’s school is closed, a minimum reception service must be offered. Your child must be welcomed during class time, even if their teacher is absent. It is up to the rectorate to take care of welcoming students with non-striking teachers, within the school, if there are less than 25% of strikers. But this Thursday, sometimes more than a quarter of them are on strike. It is then the municipalities which take over. The mayor must have established a list of people in the municipality who can participate in caring for children. This may concern qualified municipal agents, childminders, activity leaders working in leisure centers, members of family associations or parents of students. Reception can take place in the establishment but also in other premises in the city. For this Thursday’s movement, welcoming students can be complicated because the entire public service is called to strike and therefore in particular municipal agents.
10:07 – How many schools closed?
In Paris, one school in three will be closed this Thursday. 300 schools had also been announced as having to close in Seine-Saint-Denis and more than 60 in Hauts-de-Seine. In the capital, “285 interclasses”, i.e. after-school reception and canteens, will also be closed. In Val-de-Marne, one school in three will be closed. On the Yvelines side, nearly 150 schools will not open and around a hundred for Val-d’Oise. In the rest of France, “79 establishments including 75 nursery and elementary schools will be impacted with at least 25% of teachers on strike,” announced the municipality of Lille in a press release. One in four schools will also be closed in the Alpes-Maritimes. Around ten schools were announced as closed by the town hall out of the 470 public schools in Marseille.
09:30 – What is the route of the demonstration in Paris?
The Parisian procession will set off around 2 p.m. from Bercy, headquarters of the Ministry of the Economy, heading to Place d’Italie. The strikers will launch the march from the Esplanade Johnny Hallyday, passing through the Boulevard de Bercy, and will cross the Seine via the Bercy Bridge. They will then take Boulevard Vincent Auriol, to finally reach Place d’Italie.
09:15 – Flights canceled at several airports
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has called on airlines to reduce their activity in a “preventive” manner. Flights have already been announced as canceled and others could be added. “Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected,” specifies the DGAC to Le Figaro. She therefore recommends postponing trips or contacting airlines for information. It is planned this Thursday:
- 10% of flights canceled from Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle between 6 a.m. and noon
- 20% of flights canceled in Toulouse all day
- 25% of flights canceled at Paris-Orly from 6 p.m.
- 50% of flights canceled in Marseille from 6 p.m.
09:00 – 160 gatherings planned
At the call of the unions, public sector agents will be widely mobilized this Thursday. They are invited to meet in 160 cities in France. In Paris, a press point is organized at 1 p.m. near the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, notably with the general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet. A procession will then set off towards Place d’Italie. In Marseille, departure is set for 10:30 a.m. from Les Réformés. Other meetings are planned in major cities: 10 a.m. in Nice at the Albert-1er garden, 10:30 a.m. in Nantes, Place de la Préfecture, 11 a.m. in Lyon, Place Jean-Macé and 2 p.m. in Toulouse, Allées Jean- Jaurès.
08:51 – Who is mobilized?
A call for a strike was launched this Thursday, December 5 by public service unions. Only Force Ouvrière is banking on a three-day renewable strike on December 10, 11 and 12. Here are the main sectors concerned:
- The education sector will be most affected: The FSU-Snuipp, the majority union in primary education, announced “65% of strikers” in schools, and up to “78% of strikers and more than 300 schools closed in Seine-Saint-Denis. The Snes-FSU, the main secondary union, is counting on “at least 50% of strikers in middle and high schools”.
- Second sector affected: transport. The mobilization will also affect airports: civil aviation has asked airlines to reduce flights for the day, with in particular 10% of flights canceled at Roissy and 25% at Orly. This is particularly linked to the civil servant status of air traffic controllers. Urban public transport could also be affected.
- The hospital civil service is also participating in the strike.
- The early childhood sector is also mobilizing in nurseries, with some closures.
- Waste collection may also be disrupted, particularly in the Paris region and Hérault.