Social cuts | Strike day in France

The communist union CGT is one of the initiators of the strike day. Photo: AFP/MEHDI FEDOUACH It is likely to be an important political test of sentiment for the French government: The majority of French unions are calling for a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations on November 5th. This is primarily about higher wages, but also about the deeply unfair distribution of the economic burden, the decline of public services and the increasing national debt, which threatens to become a crushing burden for future generations.

Participation will primarily include employees in the public sector as well as pensioners and young people, but experience shows that only a few employees from the private sector will take part, even if they share the demands. This is because in France it consists to a particularly large extent of small and very small companies. Their employees can understand the concern of their “patrons” that every day of strike can have existential consequences for the company.

The major trade union federations CFDT, CGT and FO as well as the reformist UNSA and the teachers' union FSU have signed the joint appeal; numerous other associations have joined. The common red flag for them is the draft state budget for 2027, which envisages savings of around 54 billion euros, which will primarily come at the expense of social spending.

Demonstrations are planned for Thursday in Paris and all major cities as well as in many medium-sized cities in the country. In addition, there are work stoppages in almost the entire public service and in parts of the private sector. To speak of a general strike, as some union officials are doing, is rather wishful thinking. But given the tense social situation in the country, participation could be particularly large this time, especially since the railway workers from the state railway SNCF are there and will severely restrict rail traffic. However, they cannot completely block it, as they did in May 1968 and autumn 1995, because in 2007, on the initiative of then President Nicolas Sarkozy, a law was passed to guarantee a "minimum transport offer" on the railways and local passenger transport.

The unions' fight is also gaining momentum this year through the connection with the protests by high school and college students against staff shortages and poor teaching conditions. This dissatisfaction expands the conflict beyond classic collective bargaining issues, as it concerns educational opportunities, social inequality and future prospects.

The central demand is to increase the statutory minimum wage, which is currently 1,478 euros net per month, to 1,700 euros and to link pensions to the inflation rate again.

How successful the day of strike and demonstration will be also depends on whether and how Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu shows understanding and makes concrete concessions or whether he is more concerned with maintaining public order. After all, as a gesture he released a third of the state's fuel reserve, which caused fuel prices to fall by an average of twelve to 20 cents per liter. According to projections, this effect will last for around three months.

However, the unions have already made it clear that the current discussions with the government are not enough for them. After a meeting on October 21st, they complained that concrete measures on wages and purchasing power had not been taken. That is why they are now relying on the broadest possible strike participation. The young people also found that the government responded late or not at all to their demands. The common denominator is that trade unions and school and student associations reject the restructuring of state finances through cuts in social benefits, education and other public services as well as wages and pensions.

That's why the central demand is to increase the statutory minimum wage, which is currently 1,478 euros net per month, to 1,700 euros and to link pensions to the inflation rate again. There is also the demand to finally implement the often promised equality of wages for women and men.

The unions are also demanding more funding for schools, universities, health facilities and social services. In addition, social benefits such as housing benefits, family allowances and scholarships as well as the RSA basic livelihood security should be increased instead of being frozen. What is also required is an aggressive industrial policy, the return of production capacities that were outsourced to low-wage countries and a decarbonization of industry. Furthermore, assets, inheritances and dividends should be taxed more heavily in the interests of all French people. The unions are also calling for a review of the around 200 billion euros in public aid for companies annually and for such aid to be tied to social goals. In order to secure the future, greater funding should be given to building insulation to save energy, more public transport with lower CO2 emissions, the greening of cities and better adaptation to the climate crisis.

With such demands, the unions and the school and student associations make it clear that they intend to get involved in the election campaign for the presidential election that is scheduled to take place in six months. What they both have in common is that they want to have a say in their own future.

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