They agreed on a common call for general mobilization, but for now without the French Communist Party (PCF) and the unions on their side. La France insoumise (LFI), the Socialist Party (PS) and Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV), three of the four allies of the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), as well as other political and associative organizations, have called Friday, September 16 to hold a “great march against high cost of living and climate inaction” on October 16 in Paris.
“This national initiative will be part of the continuity of the mobilizations undertaken by the unions and associations, including the national days of action of September 22 and 29 and the climate mobilization of September 23”said these organizations in a joint press release sent to Agence France-Presse.
“The Macronist power refuses to increase wages”
The mobilization will bring together several parties and political movements outside Nupes, including Generation. s, the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), the Democratic and Social Left (GDS) or the Independent Workers’ Party (POI) or even Nouvelle Donne.
“Prices are exploding and the end of the month is more and more difficult. But the macronist power refuses to increase wages, freeze rents or freeze prices in the face of high living costs”, argue the signatories. They add : “Worse still, he plans new attacks on the pension system and unemployment insurance and organizes the destruction of public services, in particular those of education and health. »
Otherwise, “the planet is burning and there is no water”, “but the government, already condemned for environmental inaction, is pursuing an anti-economic policy”denounce the organizations. ” This situation can not continue “, they believe.
Wage increase, energy and basic necessities price freeze, tax on superprofits, investment « massif » for a “ecological bifurcation” or even retirement at 60: so many measures included in the common program of Nupes during the June legislative elections, which will be part of the demands of the procession. The walk will also be “preceded by symbolic initiatives on Saturday, October 15”.
Distrust of unions
For their part, the unions had expressed their doubts at the beginning of the week in the face of this appeal, which had been launched this summer on the initiative of the leader of LFI and conductor of the Nupes, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The latter wanted to see them join forces with this mobilization in the hope of seeing a new ” popular Front “, but past relations between LFI and the unions have not always been good and fuel a certain mistrust.
Eager to focus on their calls to demonstrate on September 22 and 29, and annoyed by the regular pressure from the “rebellious” leader, they have therefore not responded to the call for the time being. “We are discussing, but what we don’t want is to have dates and terms of movement imposed on us. It is the employees and the citizens who must decide., argued Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT, Friday on Sud Radio. However, the confederation has not completely ruled out participation in this march, while Solidaires and the FSU seem more firm in their decision. A meeting between unions, parties and associations will take place on 4 October.
“Nothing definitive” specifies the PCF
The PCF, for its part, told AFP that it wanted to give priority to the unions to mobilize the streets as part of the strikes planned for September 22 and 29: “There is nothing definitive at all. For the moment, the trade unions are not calling for this march. We wish that was the case (…). We will decide after October 4th. » However, in recent weeks, fundamental disagreements have revived between the allies of Nupes and several elected Communists, particularly around the debate on the value of work launched by their leader, Fabien Roussel.
But the organizers of the march are hopeful that their ranks will swell by October 16. “We are open, associations and trade unions can join us little by little”, declared to AFP the deputy LFI Aurélie Trouvou, president of the parliament of Nupes, which leads the negotiations. The environmental associations Oxfam, Attac and Ls Amis de la Terre plan to join the movement.
“We have a difference of appreciation on the political necessity of such a march on the weekend”she explained, while recalling that their text provided that this march would be “ in the continuity of the mobilizations of the end of September”.
On the socialist side, the party’s spokesman, Pierre Jouvet, was delighted that “the rally on the left continues to live”. “I understand the caution of the unions, there is a union time and a political time, they have a mobilization to succeed”, he added. As for the absence at this stage of the Communists, no worries according to him: ” They will come. »
The ecologists, on the other hand, are satisfied to have been heard on the inclusion of the ecological question in the theme of the march and are pleased with a “rather engaging first step”assured Léa Balage El Mariky, member of the management of EELV.