The day after the use of article 49.3 by the government of Elisabeth Borne to have the pension reform adopted, several unions launched blocking actions on Friday, March 17. In the transport and energy sectors, at the forefront of the challenge to the pension reform project, several union officials had warned Thursday of possible “overflows” or “individual actions” of base employees.
► New gathering place de la Concorde in Paris
Some 2,500 demonstrators gathered Friday evening at Place de la Concorde in Paris, like the day before, to protest against the pension reform and the use of article 49.3, after several actions by high school and university students during the day.
► Two motions of censure filed against the government
The National Rally (RN) deputies in turn tabled a motion of censure against the government on Friday. “And we will vote on all the motions of censure presented”underlined MP Laure Lavalette, while a cross-partisan motion of censure was tabled by the independent group Liot, likely to federate voices from different camps, unlike that of the RN.
► Blocking a refinery
The TotalEnergies refinery in Normandy, where workers are on strike but shipments continue, “will be stopped” from this weekend, said Friday Eric Sellini, CGT coordinator within the oil group.
“Employees have raised their voices” et “the main units will start stopping from tomorrow” in a way, “normally, the refinery is shut down this weekend or Monday at the latest”he detailed, the day after the announcement by the government of its use of article 49.3.
The refineries of La Mède, Donges and that of Esso in Fos-sur-Mer are still on strike, “it doesn’t change”, explained Eric Sellini. In Foss, “deliveries are made sporadically”, he added.
► Teachers’ unions call for a strike for the bac
The national education unions SNES-FSU, FO, Sud and CGT have called for “ pursue » the mobilizations on Friday morning, despite the start of the baccalaureate specialty exams, Monday, March 20. The academic inter-union of Brittany has already filed its strike notice for next week and calls for the “ postponement of specialty tests to June ».
The Minister of Education will mobilize “additional guards” during the bac exams, at the start of the week, he said on Friday evening. “In the event of delay of candidates due to transport strikes, adjustments to the test time will be organized so that they can benefit from the entire duration of the tests”he added, a measure already announced this week.
In Paris, young people gathered in front of the entrance to the prestigious Henri IV high school to block the passage, also in protest at the use of 49.3 by the government.
“Macron is waging war on us and his police too, we remain determined to block the country! chant the high school students while buses and cars honk in support: the Henri IV high school blocked in Paris following 49.3#ReformesDesRetraitespic.twitter.com/qW8at55kiX
— Permanent Revolution (@RevPermanente) March 17, 2023
► Traffic obstructed on the Paris ring road
About 200 demonstrators, gathered at the call of the Île-de-France regional union of the CGT, obstructed traffic on the Paris ring road on Friday morning. The demonstrators descended on the tracks around 7:30 a.m. at Porte de Clignancourt, blocking traffic on the inner ring road, before heading in procession towards Porte de la Chapelle, forcing motorists to drive in step.
► Two out of three TGVs
Traffic will remain disrupted on Friday with, like Thursday, two out of three TGVs. According to the SNCF, there will still be no night train and one in two TER on the national average. In the Paris region, traffic will remain degraded on the R line but it will improve on the RER D. The RATP expects almost normal traffic on the RER A and two out of three trains on its part of the RER B, compared to half of the trains on the SNCF part.
► The DGAC asks to cancel Monday 30% of flights at Paris-Orly and 20% at Marseille
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) asked airlines to cancel Monday 30% of their flights at Paris-Orly and 20% at Marseille-Provence, due to the strike movement of air traffic controllers against the reform of retreats. “Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected”she warned on Friday.
► The SNCF unions call for the continuation of the renewable strike
The four representative unions of the SNCF called on Friday to “keep on strike” started on March 7 and “to act massively on March 23” to oppose pension reform.
CGT-Cheminots, Unsa-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots also invite rail employees to “multiply unitary actions and initiatives from this weekend in all territories” after the triggering of 49.3 decided on Thursday by the government, considered as “an umpteenth arm of honor to the social movement”.