“If we don’t block anything, we won’t be heard”: thousands of people took to the streets in France on Tuesday to demand wage increases in the face of inflation and protest against the requisitions of strikers in refineries.
Nearly 150 assembly points were planned in the country, according to the CGT, organizer of this day of interprofessional “mobilization and strike”, with several other unions and youth organizations.
In Paris, the strong procession of several thousand people set off at the start of the afternoon behind a banner calling for increases and “respect for the right to strike”.
Many sectors have launched calls: public service, energy, public transport, road, agri-food, trade, etc.
In the oil industry, where the conflict started, which has been seriously disrupting fuel distribution for nearly two weeks, the strike continued on Tuesday at TotalEnergies, in the refining and/or fuel depot teams.
It was moderately followed in Parisian public transport (RATP), with almost normal metro traffic, but disrupted bus traffic.
As for SNCF trains, there were no major problems on the network, despite disruptions in the Paris region and one in two regional trains.
On the platform of the RER (Regional Express Network) Gare de Lyon in Paris, passengers were resigned, accustomed to the disruptions that often affect this line, strike or not. Leonore Lopez explained that she arrived “more than an hour late”. So it was a hassle.” »
“Overall it was calm,” said a supervisor who manages passenger flows. “We had difficult situations, but it was”.
In addition to the “wage increase”, the movement aims to denounce the requisitions of strikers implemented by the government to facilitate the distribution of fuel.
On Monday, the executive launched new ones on the TotalEnergies depots in Mardyck (north), already requisitioned at the end of last week, and Feyzin (south-east).
Fuel upgrade
“There will be requisitions as much as necessary,” government spokesman Olivier Véran warned on Tuesday.
“Each time these requisitions have been attacked, we have won the summary proceedings [procédures en urgence] because the judges considered that these were requisitions that were proportionate, ”said the Minister for Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu.
The situation on the ground has improved “significantly”, with now less than a quarter of service stations disrupted in France, instead of 30% last weekend, announced Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
“We will continue to do the maximum”, Mr. Macron said on Monday, adding that he wanted this crisis “to be resolved as quickly as possible” and saying “alongside all our compatriots who are struggling and who are tired of this situation “.
The government also wants to listen to the French people affected by inflation. The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, estimated on Tuesday that there was “a salary problem” in France and called on “part of the employers to increase salaries when possible”.
First trade union in France, the CFDT has decided to stay away from the movement, not believing in the effectiveness of interprofessional demonstrations to obtain wage increases in companies.
According to a survey by Elabe, 49% of French people disapprove of mobilization when 39% are in favor of it.
In addition to the subject of wages and requisitions of strikers, other ingredients stir up social anger.
Like the prospect of the use by the government, to pass the budget, of article 49.3 of the Constitution, which allows the executive to pass a law without a vote (this will “probably” be the case on Wednesday, according to Olivier Véran), the upcoming tightening of the rules for unemployment benefits or the pension reform expected for the end of the year.