(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #250 - Agricultural
education: He who sows the fight harvest victory (fr, it, pt) [machine
translation]
In the agricultural school of Le Mans, it was not too used to the AG and pickets, but when
you do it is to win. This was demonstrated by the staff of the establishment, against job
cuts and in solidarity with ejection precarious employees. ---- Less known than the
teaching of national education, public agricultural education form about 180 000 young
people in initial training and also many apprentices and adults via CFA and CFPPA[1]. This
little-known school has a fairly good image thanks to innovative teaching practices
(ongoing multidisciplinary, fieldwork, field trips...). However, EAP (public agricultural
education) is also the temple of precariousness with nearly 40% of precarious workers
(particularly in the CFA and CFPPA).
Broken Promises
The agricultural college of Le Mans is not known for its strong social mobilizations, yet
he has just experienced one of the largest in its history. Initially, we are told deleting
an administrative post, that assigned to scholarship management of agricultural education.
Yet Stéphane Le Foll, Minister of Agriculture and himself Sarthe had promised himself he
would not touch the posts... New worse even pass a contractual colleague had a successful
competition and could déprécarisation be tenured in that position.
For three weeks, the mobilization is getting stronger, a petition was signed by all staff
and the majority of students and parents. General meetings are followed and are well
attended with over thirty people each time. Our regional and national administrative
authority (PRB SRFD and[2]) leads by boat from smoking out promises of technocratic newspeak.
Everything leads us to propose a strike and blockade of the establishment, the idea being
to strike hard and fast. The validation of this action was a surprise since our
establishment is quiet enough socially ordinary. The strike is voted overwhelmingly for 20
March 2015. The strike is supported by local unions Snetap-FSU (majority), the CGT and
Sud-SYAC Rural.
The next day at 7 am, the picket is installed. Leafleting, brazier and barbecue are in the
game. With over 80% of strikers and almost no insured course, the action is a success.
Note that for half the strikers, it was the first strike in their lives.
The coward Minister
However the administration does not let anything and insists on taking us for fools.
However, this struggle installed in full departmental election in the fief of Stéphane Le
Foll makes spot, especially since the current Minister eyeing the Le Mans town hall in the
medium term. The Ministry agrees to receive a delegation of high school on 26 March.
So we're going to ten colleagues from school, supported by trade unionists Snetap FSU and
CGT SYAC, meet Councillor Stéphane Le Foll. Colleagues sickened out of the interview, the
technocratic coldness, arrogance and contempt expressed by their interlocutors. Far from
letting us shoot again we call for a strike Tuesday, March 31 with this time total block away.
The day after the meeting, the Ministry coward and disowns its own administration, the
jobholder is reassigned to the movement. We are closely following the tenure of our
colleague, because behind the posts there are people precarious, poorly paid and usually
they are women...
This albeit modest victorious struggle shows us that collective action works where
individual strategies fail. Determination, solidarity of personnel, the perfect unity of
the Inter show that it is possible!
Lulu (Cal Orne - Sarthe)
[1] CFA apprentice training center; CFPPA: vocational training center and agricultural
promotion.
[2] SRFD: regional service training and development. PRB: Directorate-General for
Education and Research.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Enseignement-agricole-Qui-seme-la
