Strikes in the airline sector, in farmers, at the SNCF… Towards a black social week from November 14th

by time news

Within a week, three​ sectors ⁢intend to mobilize and ‌make their anger felt. Le Figaro takes stock of these upcoming‍ social movements.

Towards a tense end of the year on the social front. And the protests begin this ⁣week. Starting this Thursday, ⁣November 14, no fewer ‌than​ three strike⁤ movements will⁢ dominate⁢ the ‌news in the space of a ‌week. Sectoral mobilisations, ⁤which will concern air transport, ‍agriculture‍ and railways. Le Figaro takes stock of ‌these upcoming ⁢social movements.

November 14:⁣ airline pilots’ ⁢strike

The black week on a social level will begin on Thursday⁤ 14 November with a strike in ⁢the airline sector, in response to increased taxation⁢ in the ⁣sector. The national union of airline pilots (SNPL) has in ⁣fact​ implemented ⁢its threats, announcing this mobilization on ⁢Sunday 10 November, after the Assembly voted​ for an increase in the tax ‌on airline tickets during the ⁢budget debates.

“Against the government’s desire to withdraw an⁣ additional billion a year from the airline sector, we invite pilots but also all employees of the airline sector to mobilize on November 14th”said ⁣a spokesperson for the ultra-majority pilots’ union, also asking “a meeting near the National Assembly at the end of the morning”. In a joint press release issued last Sunday, several other sector unions⁢ (UNSA Transport, ⁢UNSA PNC, CFE-CGC FNEMA, UNAC, SNPNC-FO and FEETS-FO) announced that they had “called “All ⁢employees of the airline industry will come to​ demonstrate their disagreement with this lethal taxation for jobs in front of‌ the National Assembly on November 14”. The impact of this strike ⁢on air traffic should be known⁢ in the coming days.

November 15: Resumption of farmers’ ‌actions

Still? Less than a⁤ year‍ after the large-scale protest movement partially paralyzed major French‍ roads earlier this year, farmers are expected to resume their ⁤actions starting ⁢this Friday, November 15. If the symbolic actions have already resumed in recent weeks, they should be amplified, in particular⁢ at the⁣ call of the⁢ majority unions FNSEA⁤ and Young ⁣Farmers (JA). “We decided to return to the field”said FNSEA director Arnaud Rousseau during⁤ a press conference organized on 22 October.

The​ free trade⁤ agreement between ‌the EU and Latin American⁢ countries, Mercosur, currently under negotiation, is in the farmers’ sights. A “scarlet‍ line” ⁢for Arnaud Rousseau,⁤ the agricultural world denounces an agreement that ⁤would be reached “to the detriment of our food sovereignty, our economies and the health of consumers”. Among⁢ other requests, professionals cite “a better consideration of⁢ the health crisis” in livestock farming, or even clarity on state-guaranteed loans.⁣ For ⁣now, little information has filtered out on​ the details‍ of ‍the protest actions. The local branch of the⁣ Rural Coordination of Lot-et-Garonne, at the forefront of the January unrest, ‍announced a demonstration in ‍front of‍ the prefecture of Agen on November 19 and subsequent actions aimed at⁢ blocking the transport of French food products.

November⁢ 21: strike at SNCF

Next week, ‍Thursday 21 November, it will be the turn of ‌the SNCF agents to strike. They want to protest against the dismantling of Fret ​SNCF, the⁣ division⁣ of the ​company dedicated to​ rail‍ freight transport, and against the conditions of opening up regional ⁤lines ​to⁢ competition. All railway unions are calling for a stop‌ to work from Wednesday 20 November at 7pm to Friday 22 November at 8

Regarding the dismantling of Fret SNCF, the trade unions “reaffirm that the establishment of a moratorium is possible and necessary to allow the different ​actors ​to come back around the table and find ways to guarantee not only the continuity of⁣ Fret SNCF, but also its long-term development”. Beyond ⁤this “Ultimatum Day”the inter-union presented a renewable strike notice starting from 11 December, ten days before⁣ the‌ Christmas holidays, ⁤to increase pressure on the company.

“The dialogue must be successful” between the managers of the SNCF and the unions, judged the Minister of Transport, François Durovray, on Sunday. “Everyone ⁣is responsible”, “we cannot imagine that when France has to move forward,‍ it​ will be blocked⁤ and that when the French want to find each‍ other again, ⁤they will not be able to do so”he​ told France Info. The traffic forecast ⁣for November 21st⁢ will be known 48 hours ⁤in advance, i.e. Tuesday November 19th.

Interview between Time.news ​Editor and Social Movements Expert

Time.news Editor​ (T.E.): Good morning, and welcome ​to our discussion about‍ the ⁢upcoming wave of ‌social⁢ movements ⁣in France. Joining me today is Dr. Clara​ Dupont,​ a leading ‌expert ‌on labor relations and ⁤social activism.‍ Clara, thank you for being ‍here.

Dr. Clara Dupont⁢ (C.D.): Thank you for ⁣having me, it’s a pleasure to be here.

T.E.: Clara, ⁤we’re seeing a perfect storm of protests across multiple⁤ sectors, starting this week. Could​ you break down what’s happening and ⁢why these movements ⁢are coming to a⁢ head in November?

C.D.: Absolutely.⁢ We’re witnessing an unprecedented mobilization, not just in one sector, ​but across three significant ones – aviation, agriculture, ​and⁢ rail transport. Each of these industries‌ has unique grievances that have ⁢culminated in collective action.

T.E.: Let’s ​start with the airline sector. Can you elaborate on the ‌pilots’ strike set​ for November 14?

C.D.: Certainly.⁢ The strike is primarily ‍a response to⁢ increased taxation imposed during budget discussions, where the Assembly decided to hike taxes ​on⁤ airline tickets.​ The national union of airline pilots, SNPL, is rallying its members and all employees in ‍the sector to protest⁤ against what they view as “lethal taxation” that could threaten jobs. This ⁢has​ galvanized a broad⁣ coalition⁢ of unions to demonstrate outside‍ the National Assembly, ​aiming ‍to‍ draw ⁤attention to their⁣ plight.

T.E.: And what about the farmers? I understand ⁢they’re planning to resume protests as well.

C.D.: Yes,‌ the farmers’ protests are particularly ⁣significant. In the wake of last year’s large-scale disruptions across France, ⁢the FNSEA and Young ​Farmers unions are intensifying their actions. They are taking a stand against the ⁣EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which they believe undermines‌ France’s food sovereignty and the economic viability of local farming. Their demands also include better handling of ongoing ‍health crises‌ in ⁤livestock farming and clearer ‌terms regarding state-guaranteed loans.

T.E.: ⁣There‍ seems to be‍ a ‍clear trend of workers from different sectors ‍uniting over shared concerns about government‌ policy. Do you see ​this as a sign of increased solidarity among workers?

C.D.: Definitely. What we are‌ seeing is ⁢a convergence of interests across ‍sectors. The pilots, ​farmers, and railway workers, despite their different ‍industries,​ are all responding to similar ‌themes of governmental ⁤oversight and economic pressure. This kind of solidarity ⁤is vital ⁣for social movements—when workers ⁢see others fighting similar battles, it energizes and amplifies ​their own efforts.

T.E.: The SNCF strike ⁣on November 21 is the final piece of this triad. What can you ‌tell ⁣us about their issues?

C.D.: ⁣ The SNCF ‌agents​ are‍ also voicing their concerns against ongoing dismantling efforts within⁣ the‍ rail service. The specifics might vary, ⁤but fundamentally,​ they ​are fighting for ⁣job security​ and against perceived threats to public services. The timing of these strikes⁣ is strategic; coming ⁤after the ​airline⁣ and agricultural protests‍ allows them to harness the momentum built​ by their colleagues.

T.E.: How do you anticipate the government will respond to these coordinated actions?

C.D.: The ‌government faces a challenging ​situation. On ‍one hand, they may feel pressure⁣ to quell these protests ‍swiftly to ⁢maintain stability, especially nearing ⁢the end of the year. ⁢On the other hand, they have to consider‌ the broader ​implications of⁢ disregarding workers’ grievances, which could lead to further unrest ‌in the‍ long term. Negotiating satisfactory⁤ solutions to appease these sectors‌ without undermining fiscal⁢ policies will‍ be a difficult balancing act.

T.E.: Before ‌we wrap ‌up, ​what do you think​ the long-term implications of these protests could be for French society?

C.D.: These protests represent a growing‍ frustration with government policies​ perceived as harmful to workers. If ‍these issues are not addressed, we could see a rise in social unrest both in France and across Europe. That ⁣said, if the government⁣ engages ⁢constructively with these groups, it might pave the way for more collaborative governance. Either way, these movements are⁤ critical for shaping the future of labor ‍relations⁤ in France.

T.E.: ​ Clara, thank ‌you⁣ for your insights. This⁢ is ​certainly a ‍critical moment in ⁤the landscape of French social⁢ movements, and we’ll be watching closely to see how it unfolds.

C.D.: Thank you for having me. It’s a conversation that ⁢needs to be had, ⁢and I appreciate ⁤the platform to discuss ‍it.

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