Third day of indefinite general strike in Guadeloupe. THEhe mobilization against the vaccination obligation of caregivers and the health pass continued on Wednesday, November 17, in particular at the Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital.
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Like Martinique, Guadeloupe, where the state of health emergency was lifted on the evening of November 14, is facing a sling from nursing staff. Blockages, clashes … While the situation is tense in the archipelago, franceinfo takes stock of this movement.
1 Where does this call to strike come from?
The call for a general strike, which began on Monday, was launched by a collective of trade union and citizen organizations, to protest against compulsory vaccination for caregivers and the ban on exercising which results from it in the event of non- compliance with this rule. They refuse that “all health workers” receive “their suspension mail”.
A demonstration gathered Tuesday between 300 and 400 people at the CHU of Pointe-à-Pitre. Access to the Guadeloupe hospital was blocked for cars, but pedestrians continued to circulate. The firefighters for their part carried out a snail operation in front of the CHU. “The fight continues, the government hears nothing, we are cornered, so we will continue until we are heard”, said Jocelyn Zou, representative of the Force Ouvrière union among firefighters. They demand a “exemption” compulsory vaccination.
2 What is the status of vaccination in Guadeloupe?
In Guadeloupe, the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 is struggling to bear fruit. As of November 10, only 46% of adults had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Regional Health Agency. For comparison, this figure stands at 90% nationally, according to the Ministry of Health.
Regarding caregivers, 85% of them are vaccinated, “all establishments combined”, says the ARS. However, the agency deplores “pockets of resistance”. According to the management of the Point-à-Pitre University Hospital, cited by AFP, a total of 566 suspensions were pronounced, while the rate of compliance with the vaccination obligation within the establishment stands at 87%.
This reluctance towards vaccination in the archipelago can be explained by several factors, and in particular the role social networks where circulate “a lot of ‘fake news'”, explained Tuesday on franceinfo the former departmental president, Guy Losbar. The memory of the health scandal of chlordecone also weighs heavily, details Outre-mer La 1ère. In August, the Minister of Overseas had also made a link between reluctance to vaccination and the attachment of the population to traditional medicine.
3Has the movement spread to other sectors?
Yes. Teachers, hotel and catering professionals also participate in this sling. Thus, lThe rectorate was occupied on Tuesday by the teachers’ unions, “in support of the nursing colleagues of the National Education”, who will also need to receive their vaccine to continue exercising.
Service station professionals also mobilized on Monday to support the strike movement. They furthermore defend some points more specific to their sector of activity, in particular the revision of their collective agreement and the opening of annual negotiations.
“This strike is not only due to the vaccination obligation.”
Ary Chalus, President of the Regional Council of Guadeloupeon franceinfo
The president of the Guadeloupe region, Ary Chalus, believes that Guadeloupe people more generally have the feeling of having been “left behind” by the state. The chosen one ensures that“with the health situation, Guadeloupe has lost a lot, especially in terms of special consumption tax on fuel and transport”, quantifying this drop in income at “30 million euros”.
Tensions have also erupted since the launch of the movement. Clashes pitted striking firefighters and gendarmes on Monday. Other incidents between strikers and the police led to two placements in police custody for “facts of repeated threats to a police officer”, reported the Pointe-à-Pitre prosecutor’s office.
4How is the government responding?
“You have to be very firm”, the government spokesperson hammered on Tuesday. “We will not accept that we prevent people from going for treatment at the hospital, we will not accept that there is pressure being put on people who have made the choice or who are going make the choice to be vaccinated “, launched Gabriel Attal on France Inter. “The vaccination obligation must apply in Guadeloupe”, for his part insisted the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, on October 19 at the National Assembly.
Scuffled in Guadeloupe on the sidelines of a strike against the vaccine obligation and the health pass: “The small minority who tries to instrumentalize the situation increases the pressure but in the face of that, you have to be very firm”, judge @GabrielAttal # le79inter pic.twitter.com/wa9B8R3NVP
– France Inter (@franceinter) November 16, 2021
Faced with this position, the former president of the departmental council, Guy Losbar, pleads more for a consultation in order to “take into account local realities while maintaining this need for vaccination”. The president of the Guadeloupe region, Ary Chalus, calls for his “to appeasement” and “to the discussion”.
In Martinique, which has also experienced a movement in opposition to vaccination in recent weeks, the government has chosen to send a mediation mission. This resulted on Sunday in the postponement of the vaccination obligation for caregivers to December 31.