The unions are going back into battle. More than six months after the adoption of the pension reform and three days before the social conference supposed to relaunch dialogue with the social partners, trade unions are calling for demonstrations across France on Friday to defend purchasing power.
The failure of their fight in the spring, which had nevertheless brought together more than a million participants on several occasions according to the authorities, did not dampen the motivation of the members of the inter-union even if on the ground, the mobilization should be much weaker.
CFDT, CGT, FO, CFTC, CFE-CGC, Unsa, Solidaires and FSU, with several youth organizations, are calling for demonstrations on Friday “against austerity and for an increase in salaries, pensions and gender equality “. This day constitutes “a first mobilization in a European union framework”, reports the inter-union association. At the call of the European Trade Union Confederation (CES), demonstrations will also be organized in Italy, Belgium, Germany, Spain, among others, before a new meeting scheduled for December 13. Here are the main disruptions expected.
Demonstrations: 150,000 people expected in the streets
Some 200 actions have been announced in numerous cities in France, according to the CGT. In total, the movement could bring together, according to the authorities, 150,000 people throughout the country (including Paris, where the police expect between 10,000 and 15,000 people). The Parisian procession will set off at 2:00 p.m. from Place d’Italie (13th arrondissement) towards Place Vauban (7th arrondissement).
Liberal doctors: Black Friday expected
“Black Friday” in sight in practices: private doctors are called to mobilize before new price negotiations and the examination in the Senate of a bill which exasperates many practitioners.
“All consultation activities and technical acts are deprogrammed. All emergencies will be transferred to the public hospital” and the guards “arrested”, indicated the president of the Bloc (surgeons’ union) Philippe Cuq, designated spokesperson for a brand new “inter-union”, which brings together 12 representative organizations of doctors or young doctors. “Vital emergencies” will be “taken care of”.
It is difficult to predict how many patients will find the door closed. But the unions are hoping for significant mobilization, to demonstrate to everyone that in the absence of the liberals, the healthcare system is not working. “The mobilization will go far beyond just unionized doctors”, who represent “around 10%” of the total number of independent doctors, assured Philippe Cuq, who had “never seen” such an official union unit.
Airports: 40% of flights canceled at Orly
The General Directorate of Civil Aviation asked airlines to give up 40% of their flight schedule on Friday at Paris-Orly, France’s second largest airport, due to an inter-professional strike relayed by an air traffic controllers union.
Carriers have also been called upon to reduce their flight schedules at Marseille-Provence by 20% and at Beauvais by 15%, the DGAC said in a press release, warning that the activity of air navigation centers en route, managing aircraft circulating in French skies would also be affected. “Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected”, underlined the DGAC, inviting “passengers who can to postpone their trip and to contact their airline to find out the status of their flight.
Public transport: Slight disruptions in the regions, normal traffic for the TGV and RATP
Train traffic will be slightly disrupted on certain regional lines but normal for the TGV. Some TER lines will be disrupted and the SNCF invites travelers to find out region by region.
In Ile-de-France, the disruptions will mainly concern the RER D and C with two trains out of three, as for lines H, L, U and R of the Transilien. On line N, there will be three trains out of four. Everywhere else, service will be normal. On the RATP network (metro, bus and trams) in the capital, traffic will not experience any difficulty.
Teaching: Mobilization difficult to predict
The social movement should also affect National Education, with calls for strikes from the FSU-SNUipp (nursery and elementary schools) and the SNES-FSU (middle and high schools). Same thing for the inter-union of higher education and research. Absences were notified 48 hours in advance for school teachers but this is not the case in secondary schools. More generally, many public sector bodies are expected to participate in this strike, notably catering and school activities staff.