“I can’t go on strike every day”, confide French people, who welcome the choice of a demonstration on Saturday so as not to “lose 50 euros”

In the 18th arrondissement of Paris, the staff of a Monoprix block the access to the supermarket. “It’s a really powerful action”estimated Esimé Tolessi, on strike for only a few hours that day, for one of his rare mobilizations since the start of the movement against pension reform.

Like her, some employees and civil servants who cannot strike regularly due to lack of time and resources will be in the 230 processions announced everywhere in France for the seventh day of mobilization.

“Going on strike every day, I can’t”

“Going on strike every day, I can’t. I can do it once in a while, but not every day”, explains Esimé Tolessi. “Although I am a CGT activist, I can lose up to 50 euros a day. It’s huge for someone who is part-time”adds this employee of a Monoprix, who does not however need to declare herself a striker this Saturday, March 11: she is on rest. “I’ll go to the demo, we don’t give up!”

Colin Gannat, teacher in CE2 in Paris and inserted at Snuipp-FSU, can also parade without being on strike. “Every day, it’s hard for teachers. Financially, but also vis-à-vis our students. We feel a responsibility. Not coming to school several days in a row is a bit of preventing children to go to school, and that makes us uncomfortable”he explains.

“The demonstrations, especially on Saturdays, allow us to be able to show our dissatisfaction without having too much of an impact on our wallet and our students.”

Colin Gannat, unionized teacher

at franceinfo

With his colleagues, Colin Gannat thought for a time of setting up a renewable movement, without succeeding. “Going on strike 30 days in a row in the month is not possible. So clearly, the government must hear the distress that is ours and we must move forward. It is not possible otherwise “, he hammers. The official ensures that each day not worked represents nearly 110 euros in lost earnings at the end of the month.