Thursday 5th December 2019, the unions call for a strike against the pension reform planned by the government. Who will be mobilised, and why? Details and explanations.
Every pension reform project involves a vast amount of trade union mobilisation. This will be the case, Thursday 5th December 2019, with an joint union strike action which is also renewable.
Who will be mobilised? For what reasons ? Until when ? Response elements.
Who will go on strike?
- In the transports
Since “everyone is concerned” according to Benoît Martin, secretary of the CGT in Paris, “the mobilized sectors will be many” and “those of transport is the most visible,” points Jacques Borenstein, FO. The strike at SNCF and RATP will put public transport at a standstill. Rovers, taxis and ambulances also call for a strike, when in the air, 20% of planes will be removed.
- At school, at the hospital …
The public service will also be very present in the processions: teachers and teachers, firefighters, EDF, hospital, GRDF, garbage collectors and La Poste. Police threaten to close police stations. High school students and students also call for a strike.
- In the private too, we mobilize
Notices were also filed in the private sector: refineries, lawyers, doctors, journalists or auto workers.
h3>What are the claims?
“A battle of communication is engaged” between government and unions, explain them. It is a question for Édouard Philippe and his ministers to praise the merits of the universal point-based pension system they want to introduce, removing the 42 existing schemes, including 11 specials ranging from SNCF to notaries.
- Winners according to the government
For the all the unions calling for a general strike, the aim is to highlight the pension cuts that this system would imply. An unverifiable assertion, like that of the government, as long as the details of the reform to be voted “before the summer” are not known. Only index, the report in July of Jean-Paul Delevoye, High Commissioner for pensions for the government.
The report advocates a “pivotal age” retirement at age 64 for all for a full pension. The hammered principle is that of “one euro contributed gives the same rights to retirement”, promising a minimum value of the point that would be fixed in the law.
- Losers for the unions
For unions, this will penalize employees “whose incomes are lower, careers more difficult and therefore life expectancy less”. Rejecting the idea of funding “more pensions with the same share of the pie,” the unions are opposed to the inclusion of the full career when, for now, the 25 best years count in the private and the last six months in the audience.
Can this movement last?
- December 5, just a first warning
The universal impact of the reform is telling the unions that the mobilization will be “massive”, from Thursday and for an indefinite period. “We must block the country, hit hard all together,” claims Jacques Borenstein. “We demand the withdrawal of the reform project, it is not negotiable,” insists Benoît Martin: “The 5 looks very strong, but it is a movement in the long term. ”
- General meetings will be organized locally
The goal of the “continuous strike” comes from the failure of the last social movements, explains Jacques Borenstein, FO: “With a single day of strike, we would not get satisfaction. The inter-union will meet at the end of the Paris demonstration to decide what to do next. “After the 5th, the renewal will be decided in general meetings, place by place,” says Jacques Borenstein.
- At RATP and SNCF, we want to hit hard
Already, the strike promises to be long at SNCF and RATP: at least until December 15.
