On the third day of the month, eight major trade union organizations (CDFT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, Unsa, FSU, Solidaires) called for demonstrations across France to protest against the state pension reform plan. considered in the Assembly from Monday. United, the unions hoped to continue to put pressure on the executive after two successful days in which the authorities recognized more than a million demonstrators, when on 31 January the CGT announced almost three million. But did act III experience the same enthusiasm? Express sums up.
Fewer hitters
The number of strikers and demonstrators was expected to decrease on Tuesday as the unions are already planning a fourth act, Saturday, to keep pressure on the majority on the semi-cycle front. Nearly 757,000 people took to the pavement across France, against “nearly 2 million” for CGT, according to authorities, lower than last week. According to the CGT, the Paris demonstration attracted about 400,000 people, the same number as on January 19, but 100,000 less than on January 31. It passed peacefully, despite some clashes between the Place de la République and the Bastille. Square. The police headquarters reported the arrest of three people.
In other parts of the country, figures for morning marches have already shown lower participation than last week, with 5,000 in Angouleme, for example, up from 8,500 on 31 January and 9,000 on 19 January, according to authorities. Or even in Rouen, where, according to the prefecture, there were 8,700 demonstrators against 13,800 on January 31st and 13,000 on January 19th. to 15,000. Dropping the same order in Calais, where the unions put forward a figure of 6,000 demonstrators (against 8,000 on January 31) and 4,000 police (against 5,000).
The energy sector has been particularly hard hit
In the energy sector, CGT claims a reduction in energy production of around 4,500 MW, the equivalent of more than four nuclear reactors. More than one in two employees (56%) of TotalEnergies’ refineries are on strike, while CGT calls in between 75% and 100% of the strikers, management says. “Not a single product leaves the site,” even Fabien Cros, CGT’s spokesman on the side of Total’s refinery in La Mede, near Marseille, assured. In the EDF, management calls 36.9% of strikers on Tuesday, up from 46.5% last week and 44.5% on January 19.
In a key transport sector, train and metro services were “severely disrupted” at SNCF and RATP. But with strike numbers down to 25% from 36% on the 31st and 46% on the 19th, however, train traffic will remain “disrupted” on Wednesday, Feb. 8, the day CGT Cheminots and SUD Rail is still calling. for work to be stopped against pension reform, the SNCF said. The company plans an average of 2 out of 3 TGVs, in particular 2 out of 3 trains to the north, “almost normal” traffic to the east, 3 out of 5 trains to the southeast, 1 out of 2 trains to the Atlantic, 2 Ouigo out of 3 and 3 TGVs to the provinces -province out of 5. Traffic will be normal for Eurostar, “slightly disrupted” for Thalys, and other international connections will average 4 trains out of 5 (except Switzerland, 3 out of 5). SNCF Voyageurs is counting on 1 Intercités out of 2 and will cancel their night trains. The company also plans to launch nearly 1 out of 2 TERs with failures in all regions.
Loss of speed in national education
From the rue de Grenelle they speak of the number of strikers at 12.87% of the total staff, against 23.52% last week and especially 35.15% on January 19th. As for the teachers in the only districts who are not on vacation, the decline is of the same order: 14.17% on strike on Tuesday against almost 26% on January 31 and 38.50% ten days earlier.
According to a police source, nine universities and 24 secondary schools were disrupted in France, 14 of which were blocked. La Voix lycéenne demanded almost 150 blocked high schools.
Unions defined
It doesn’t matter that the numbers are underestimated: the unions are determined to keep mobilizing. “Today’s message will be a call for mass demonstrations on Saturday,” said CFDT general secretary Laurent Berger, acknowledging on Tuesday “a slight shortcoming in connection with the holidays” that have begun for the region. March, and there will be no more holidays in March,” he warned, once again believing that it would be “democratic madness” to remain deaf to the challenges of reform.
CGT leader Philip Martinez called for “harder, more massive, more numerous” strikes “if the government continues not to listen.” “Other demonstrations will be needed, but it is clear to us that everything else will be a renewed strike, around March 8,” echoed Simon Dutheil (Solidaires).