STRIKES FEBRUARY – MARCH. The unions have already planned two days of mobilization in February and two other appointments are made in March to challenge the pension reform. What is the strike schedule?
The struggle of the unions against the pension reform is far from over. With already three days of mobilization on the counter, the inter-union has set other appointments for demonstrations, strikes and even blockages. The word is finally out. In the coming days, the movement should regain momentum and rise to a crescendo in intensity: the unions are calling for a massive day of demonstrations on Saturday February 11, the strikes must be back on Thursday February 16 and behind the scenes the date of February 7. march is stopped according to information from France info confirmed by BFM TV. In March, the strike should be “total and renewable from Tuesday 7 which will be a ‘dead day'” according to the indiscretions of the continuous news channel.
The dates of the strikes are not chosen at random, they coincide with political moments. “We try to have dates that correspond to strong events”, moreover explained at the microphone of France infothe president of the CFTC Cyril Chabanier this Thursday, February 9: “February 16 was chosen because it is the last week when the text is in the National Assembly and March 8 is Women’s Rights Day”, which are losers with the pension reform according to some.
If the February holidays seem to dampen the ardor of the unions, some envisage a serious hardening of the movement during the next days of mobilization, in particular in March. On February 7, since the Paris demonstration, the general secretary of the CGT Philippe Martinez had called for strikes “harder, more numerous, more massive”. So what should we expect for the next strikes and mobilizations against the pension reform? The calendar.
Protest day February 11
The appointment of Saturday February 11 is taken since the evening of the second day of mobilization against the pension reform – January 31 -. After announcing a new day of strike, the unions have reviewed their judgment, aware that disengaging in transport a weekend moreover during the crossover of the holidays was not going to serve their cause with the French. It is therefore a day of demonstrations which is scheduled for February 11 with very few strikes if certain branch unions persist, such as the RATP which is still asking the question. On the other hand at the SNCF, the hour will not be with the strike, simply with the dispute.
The objective of the mobilization of February 11 is essentially to allow the French who cannot strike and deprive themselves of a day’s salary to demonstrate without losing financially. “The objective of an appeal on February 11 is not so much the percentage of strikers as the fact of having in the street all the employees who do not have the financial capacity to go on strike and respond to calls during the week”, explained the federal secretary of SUD-Rail, Erik Meyer, to France Blue.
Call for a national strike on Thursday February 16
If the inter-union agrees to take a break in terms of strikes for Saturday, February 11, there is no question of abandoning all movements. The machine will therefore be relaunched on Thursday, January 16. The unions seemed impatient to announce the next date of mobilization and on Wednesday February 8 the general secretary of the Unsa Dominique Corona made himself the spokesperson of the eight French federations by calling for a “national day of interprofessional action on February 16”.
The unions hope to see all professional branches join the movement with rates of strikers similar to the first day of mobilization and with again more than a million demonstrators in the streets. The third day of strike, that of February 7, having been less followed than the previous ones.
Total and renewable strikes on March 7 and 8?
Already two appointments are made with the workers but behind the scenes the inter-union is already working on the preparation of the continuation of the movement. Which left to extend until March according to the indiscretions of France info. The media got wind of the next dates of demonstrations which were to be announced by the unions on the evening of February 11: March 7 and 8. This time, the movement could harden since the unions are considering “total and renewable” strikes.
If the unions will no longer have the effect of surprise, they will still formalize the announcement of the strikes of March 7 and 8 during the mobilization day on Saturday February 11. The intersyndicale union has scheduled a press conference at 11:45 a.m. in front of the Labor Exchange in Paris to detail the action plan for future strike movements.
Doctors on strike on February 14
The health sector was very eventful by the strikes at the beginning of the year and an unlimited strike notice filed by FO runs for all French hospitals since January 10. Another filed by the CGT runs from February 3 to 9. Caregivers have also taken part in previous mobilizations with one-hour strikes or the wearing of the “on strike” armband, traditional actions to express support for the strike without causing collateral damage to patients. But in February, other health professionals make an appointment for a new strike on February 14: the liberal doctors. The intersyndicale requests “an additional financial envelope […] necessary to achieve the objectives set by the Minister of Health”, can we read in a letter from the unions to the government. It calls for the closure of the cabinets while the discussions with the Health Insurance must end at the end of February.