------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the May 29, 2003 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
FRENCH WORKERS STRIKE TO SAVE PENSIONS
By G. Dunkel
Two million French workers, mainly from the public sector unions, but with significant contingents from large private companies like Danone, Renault, Thales, Air France, Alstom and Bouygues, went on strike on May 13. They held demonstrations in 115 French cities, some larger than those held in the same cities in 1995 and even in the stormy year of 1968.
The French government wants to make government employees--about 25 percent of all French workers--work 2-1/2 years more before they get a full pension.
Bernard Thibault, the secretary-general of the most militant union confederation, the CGT, charged in a televised debate with the government minister in charge of social affairs that the government's plan to "reform" pensions will also reduce state pensions by 20 percent and private pensions by 30 percent. (Le Monde, April 26)
While the government denies Thibault's assertion, the unions agree with him. It was raised on many of the signs and banners the CGT and other union federations carried.
May 13 saw basically no public transportation in big cities like Paris, Marseilles and Toulouse; toll collectors did not collect on that day; air traffic controllers, one of the feistiest unions in France, also struck, affecting Europe as well as France. According to a number of polls, 65 percent of the people in the Paris metropolitan area supported the strike and 64 percent are worried about their own pensions.
Teachers and school staffs also walked out and marched with students and parents. They have their own issues with the government's attempt to restructure education as well as retirement. The education minister wants to move 100,000 paraprofessionals and staff onto local payrolls, where they can be laid off more easily, and to open education up to private competition. There have already been protests and strikes over educational issues.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin took the unions on directly in a long interview on French television on May 7. Claiming economic necessity, he stated that parliament, where his right-wing party holds a commanding majority, would make the final decision.
"Let's be clear," he said. "Parliament must decide. The street should express itself, but it's not the street that governs." By the "street" he meant the working class.
The unions have not backed down. The CGT and Workers' Force (FO), another major union confederation, warned the government that the struggle would not stop on May 13. Left-wing parties have a lot of influence in these unions. Both the French Communist Party and Workers' Struggle (LO), which historically have had deep ideological differences, denounced Raffarin's plan and called for a massive turnout on May 13. That's exactly what happened.
Workers in the Paris Metro, regional rail lines, and public transportation in other major cities, as well as in some post offices and schools, held mass meetings on May 13 and 14 and decided they were strong enough to continue the strike.
They were also encouraged when Austrian unions held a major demonstration of 200,000 in Vienna on May 13 over the issue of retirement and 50,000 Swedish public employees also went on strike. Governments throughout Europe want to cut expenses by cutting workers' benefits, and have decided that retirement is the easiest target.
Finally, faced with growing militancy and a public that supported the aims of the strikers, Minister of Social Affairs Fran�ois Fillon offered the unions a deal on May 15. The CGT refused to attend the meeting. The FO attended but walked out. However, the government was able to get the leaders of another large union confederation, the French Confederation of Democratic Workers (CFDT), and a smaller confederation to sign off on some minor concessions.
The CFDT's decision was greeted with a storm of worker protest within the confederation. Affiliates proclaimed that they supported the CGT/FO call for another week of strikes beginning May 19 and opposed breaking union solidarity in the struggle against the government.
The militant unions have called for another massive demonstration on May 25.
Raffarin might very well be able to win the votes in parliament, but the unions have and can make it very hard for the government to run France.
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