“We tried to find a balanced solution”, defends senator Hervé Marseille, author of a bill

The senator denounces the strike of SNCF controllers which “affects vacation departures”.

“We tried to find a balanced solution”, defends Thursday February 15 on franceinfo Hervé Marseille, senator from Hauts-de-Seine and president of the centrist Union in the Senate. The group tabled a bill on Wednesday aimed at “ensure the effectiveness and continuity of the public transport service during certain periods”, two days before a strike at the SNCF. The centrist elected official denounces this strike of controllers which “affects vacation departures” this weekend of February 17-18.

He estimates that “the French are exasperated at being taken hostage” and also emphasizes “the economic consequences” of this social movement. So, “to reconcile the right to strike, the right to move and the right to use public services”the centrists in the Senate propose a text which is inspired “Italian model”. This law, if adopted, “would allow the government” to issue a decree “three months before January 1, in September, after discussions with the unions, to neutralize dates where there could be no strike notice”explains Hervé Marseille.

“The number of prohibited strike days may not exceed 60 days per year.”

Hervé Marseille, senator of Hauts-de-Seine

at franceinfo

And the ban will be limited to a maximum period of 15 days in a row. “We are going to make days sacred, in particular going on vacation, Christmas, Easter, the February vacation”, adds Hervé Marseille. The elected official considers that this bill does not infringe the right to strike, a constitutional right because “all rights are equal”. He wishes “reconcile the rights of each person” as “the right to undertake, the right to work, the right to move” which can, according to him, be flouted during strikes in public transport.

Ban strikes during holidays

Hervé Marseille does not want “anticipate” a possible censorship of the Constitutional Council but he specifies that the centrist union group in the Senate has “worked with constitutionalists”. The senator assures that his group will “strive to bring this bill to fruition” while other similar texts have already been filed. For example, in February 2020, Les Républicains senators tabled a bill “tends to ensure the effectiveness of the right to transport, to improve the rights of users and to respond to the essential needs of the country in the event of a strike”. Four years later, the text has not been adopted.

Another example, Véronique Besse, deputy for Vendée, tabled a bill “for the ban on strikes in the transport sector during school holidays”February 14, 2023. The text is also inspired by the Italian model. “It was a year ago and nothing has changed while we still have thousands of French people who will be taken hostage,” lamented the elected official on France Bleu Loire Océan on Thursday morning. “It has been in the legislative funnel for a year, even though it is a common sense measure”she also declared.