9 March, 2009
French trade unions confirmed in late February that they will issue a call for a day of mobilization on Thursday, 19 March, “resulting in strikes and demonstrations throughout the country.” The joint statement was made by members of the Inter-Eight group at CFTC headquarters.
The CFDT, FO, CFTC, CFE-CGC, CGT, FSU, Solidaires, and UNSA continue to show their trade union unity, building on the one-day general strike of 19 January
Although the 19 January action did lead to some changes to government legislation, such as establishing a social investment fund, ICEM’s French affiliates regard the measures as too fragmentary to change the course of economic policy in these trying times.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy refused to increase the minimum wage, to change his policy on public sector employment, and refused to return taxes on overtime pay. Other factors in organizing the 19 March strike are continued job cuts, further trends toward partial unemployment, and heavy reductions in workers’ purchasing power, all of which amplify the current economic recession for French workers.
Several workers’ protests began last week. French workers from two Grenoble area factories of US-based Caterpillar protested in the French Alpine city and then marched in Paris over announced plant closure. Rubber workers at a Continental tyre factory north of Paris also protested due to a threatened closure.
And in Lyon on 3 March, 40 workers of auto-parts firm Preciturn began a 30-hour sit-in at the offices of a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland. The highly debt-laden subsidiary, an accounting firm, had abandoned its contract with Preciturn, leaving unpaid bills and an inability to meet salaries.
In extending its joint declaration of 5 January, the eight trade unions listed their targeted goals as: “Upholding public and private employment; Fighting against job insecurity and social and economic deregulation; Calling for compensation policies that maintain the purchasing power of wage earners, the unemployed and pensioners; and Defending the collective framework of solidarity and social protection.”
The social protests which began last week are expected to gain momentum between now and 19 March, with calls for mobilization among employees in the education sector, doctors and hospital staff, as well as police. According to a 2 March opinion poll, 58% of company executives support the manifestation of 19 March. Workers at Air France have already confirmed that they will take part in the strike.
The group of eight unions will meet again 20 March 2009.