FEBRUARY 16 STRIKE. The inter-union calls for a new strike on February 16 against the pension reform and expects a major movement. Schools, transport, refineries, energy… Which sectors are mobilizing?
[Mis à jour le 14 février à 8h07] It is already the fifth day of mobilization which is emerging with the strike of February 16th. The unions are still as determined to fight against the pension reform and especially against the postponement of the retirement age to 64 years. The date of February 16 for the future mobilization is no coincidence, it is on this date that the deputies are supposed to debate article 7 of the bill for the reform of pensions, the one which provides for the famous drop in the legal age. The unions therefore hope to see the French mobilize in numbers in companies with strikes and in the streets with demonstrations. But while the school holidays are well underway and underway in most of the country, will the strike of February 16 be a large-scale mobilization? Which sectors will mobilize?
Transport, energy and schools for the academies which are not yet on leave have planned to take part in the movement. And the mobilization of February 16 could be a last warning before a hardening of the social movement on March 7 in the absence of a response from the government.
Transport strike
As often, the transport sector is the first to respond to the strike call for February 16th. “The trade unions CGT Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT Cheminots are calling […] to participate massively in the demonstrations and to act by the strike on February 16, 2023 to broaden, amplify the mobilization and prepare the necessary follow-up to bring down this reform”, wrote the inter-union of the SNCF in a press release published on February 10. If the call is echoed by employees, major disruptions could still affect rail traffic on February 16. It is still too early to know the extent and details of the possible malfunctions, the list of which will be published two days before the strike and further refined the night before.
The RATP also intends to mobilize for the strike of February 16. In its press release, the inter-union calls for a strong mobilization of all workers “in view of the contempt displayed by this government, the inter-union RATP takes its responsibilities”, she told AFP. Here again, it is not possible to anticipate possible disruptions to Ile-de-France transport traffic.
Energy sector strike
The energy sector is likely to mobilize for the February 16 strike. The various CGT federations of energy and industry professions have published a joint statement calling on employees “of ports and docks, railway workers, chemical industries, glass and ceramics and Mines Energy” to mobilize for an “interprofessional mobilization” this Thursday. Employees of nuclear power plants have strongly expressed themselves during previous mobilizations with reductions in energy production and “Robin Hood” operations. At the same time, refineries have also been very active since the beginning of the social movement, with fuel deliveries stopped for each day of the strike.
Strike in schools on February 16
The strike of February 16 can invite itself in the schools even if with two out of three zones on vacation, the impact of the mobilization will be much less compared to the previous strikes in the educational establishments. Only teachers in zone C (academies of Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse and Versailles) will be able to strike, but all teachers in France are invited to take part in the demonstrations. As always, the teachers of the first degree establishments must declare themselves strikers two days in advance, the unions could therefore issue from this Tuesday evening first estimates of the number of striking teachers. On the other hand, the surprise will be complete until the last moment in colleges and high schools.
Strike at airports
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) has not yet called a strike but it may still come. During February, the various unions took part in the mobilizations with often minimal disturbances despite the cancellation of short and medium-haul flights.