The trade unions, including the CGT and the CFDT, hope to push back the executive, and say they are ready to anchor the movement in the long term.
The fight against pension reform begins. Gathered at the Labor Exchange in Paris, the unions – the CFDT, Force Ouvrière, the CFE-CGC, the Unsa, Solidaires, the CFTC, the FSU and the CGT – called on Tuesday evening collectively the employees to mobilize “strongly“, during a first day of demonstrations and strike, Thursday, January 19.
Fiercely opposed to the reform project, the unions hope to make the government back down by a “powerful mobilization […] in the time“. The idea was to draw quickly, in particular to anticipate political mobilization, with among other things the march of La France insoumise, scheduled for January 21. “It was important that the trade union organizations set the toneto the opposition to the text presented by Élisabeth Borne, declared the boss of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, adding that the representatives wouldpoint“, the same evening of January 19, on the follow-up to be given to the movement.
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LIVE – Pension reform: the unions announce a first day of mobilization on January 19
The tone was unanimous, among union representatives, this Tuesday evening. “The fact that all the trade union organizations agree […]it allows inter-unions in companies, professions, establishments“, estimated Philippe Martinez. “We want there to be as many employees as possible on strike that day.“, added the secretary general of the CGT, saying to himself”determined that this bill does not pass“. The balance of power “is well underway“, he then squeaked.
«Union unity, no decline in the retirement age, no extension of the contribution period!“, wrote for his part the boss of FO, Frédéric Souillot, on Twitter. “Whole generations will be squeezed. The challenge to this reform will be strong“, predicts the confederal secretary of the union, Michel Beaugas. “There are people who will be two years younger to enjoy their retirement, their children, their grandchildren“, was offended Laurent Escure, secretary general of Unsa, calling”everyone“to commit against this reform”useless and unfair». «There is no urgency, there is no danger in delay“, he hammered.
The government wants to go all the way
Same observation for the CFTC, although deemed more moderate: “We had warned that if there was a postponement of the age, we would be in the street. So we will be“, declares the president of the union, Cyril Chabanier. Among executives too, who are not quick to mobilize, “there is strong opposition to this reform“, also confides Gérard Mardiné, general secretary of the CFE-CGC. The unions will also be supported by the left: on Tuesday evening, several representatives, such as the communist Fabien Roussel, the rebellious Éric Coquerel or the ecologist Marine Tondelier called to join the processions on January 19.
For its part, despite this united front – the first in twelve years – of the unions, the government says it is ready to go all the way, in particular on the key aspect of the reform, the extension of the legal retirement age retired at age 64. A measurement “useless, aggressive, unfair“, according to Laurent Escure. The Medef, meanwhile, welcomed the text, considering the reform “essential to safeguard our pension system».
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The unions are therefore preparing to take to the streets against the government’s project, three years after their fight against the previous systemic reform carried out by Edouard Philippe, between December 2019 and January 2020. RATP, Comédie française, lawyers, Paris Opera. .. At the time, several days of mobilizations, and major strikes, had greatly disrupted the daily life of the French people. It remains to be seen whether the mobilization will be, this time again, massive, in the street.
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