France, Alternative Libertaire AL #250 - After April 9:
Resume and keep hold (fr, it, pt) [machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
With around 300,000 protestors throughout France on April 9 was a date that has expressed
the refusal of the law bosses and PS which serves them soup. However, a question arises:
how to proceed? --- Called by a national inter-CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires, the day of
strikes and demonstrations on April 9 was the first stage of re-mobilization of the labor
camp. With more than eighty events in departments and a national demonstration in Paris
which brought together 120,000 people, there is nothing to be ashamed of this day of
action. The reasons to mobilize? Macron law, health law, law on social dialogue in
preparation, but also many struggles on employment, wages, working conditions can be found
in the national strike days a useful sounding board. The ongoing strike at Radio France,
then at full power, was emblematic of this junction as possible struggles and the opening
of the Parisian procession by strikers fighting added to the climate of the day. Yet many
trade unionists had legitimate cold sweats in the days leading up to April 9.
The demonstration or strike?
With its unilateral decision to call a national demonstration in Paris, the CGT leadership
sank a corner in the unit frame. If this strategy could reap rewards in terms of
visibility for the center of Montreuil, probably also to motivate activists CGT teams, the
fact remains that the gear ratio on the national demonstration has been hampered local
dynamics: it has seen in several departments set up inter-union executives variable
geometry downright competitors. Disunity far to serve the action.
Another pitfall: bet everything on a national demonstration could lead to some
inconsistencies, such as the refusal of the CGT-Railwaymen to call a strike not to hinder
the transportation of protesters. Prioritize event also contributed to the modesty of the
Action striker... although it is always necessary to analyze more finely, locality by
locality and sector by sector the reality that day. For example, with rates of strikers in
the first degree of national education amount to 50% in Paris and in 93, 40 to 50% in the
Creuse, Cantal and the Puy-de-Dôme that day was not not without surprises. Because it was
so urgent to reoccupy the pavement we can not overlook local events that have been able to
gather several thousand demonstrators, like in Bordeaux (10000), Toulouse (8000), Lyon
(7000) Caen (3000)...
But how to proceed? Some union structures (such as the UD CGT Seine-Maritime) requested a
new date for mobilization mid-May. A scenario that was not likely that would happen to
agree different organizations nationally. While May 1 seemed "naturally" indicated as
immediate aftermath of 9 April, there was not a union of two. We know little FO fond
traditionally the May 1st unit... Two inter-union executives were then set up: one to
prepare the May 1st with CGT, FSU and Solidaires, Unsa extended to (CFDT finally having
refused to join it); the other dedicated to suites of 9 April, which is not yet known at
the time of writing, if FO will or not.
May 1... and beyond
The national call to 1st May has therefore found amputee that had yet mobilized April 9:
including denial of Macron law and the responsibility pact. In contrast, in several
departments or regions, particularly in Île-de-France, it is the unitary framework and
claims of 9 April which served as the basis for calls of 1 May
Of course, an active and massive participation in the demonstrations of May 1 is required.
It remains to be seen whether a new national day of strikes and demonstrations will be
offered (if that is the case, probably in June). Hoping that this perspective does not
stumble, in case of withdrawal of FP, on the reluctance of management to engage in CGT
mobilisations alongside the only union Solidaires union (yet committed to building the
strike) and FSU (regularly subject, meanwhile, procrastination).
Anyway, this is the path that we must regain the fighting to impose our calendar: the
struggles! Besides the inter calls, numerous strikes boxes, you can also to count on
national sectoral mobilizations, like the strike in colleges called on 19 May (called by a
wide inter-FSU, FO, CGT, Sud, SNALC ) or a national demonstration next (still in
discussion) of wage earners struggling financial centers of the Post.
In all these struggles and mobilizations, so the importance of building unit managers to
commit the action is well established, it is vital to support a field action, closer to
our colleagues. By mobilizing tools for this union that we are building every day -
sections, unions, federations, local and departmental unions - to develop discussion of
unifying claims and convince him of the need to fight. Focus the debate on the most
effective methods of action (prolonged strike, blockades, occupations) is as much a part
of this work remobilization. It is to this that we must actively tackle us in the coming
weeks: to put finally a good slap to the employers' offensive!
Théo Rival (AL Orléans)
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Apres-le-9-avril-Reprendre-et
