An intersyndicate coalition has called for a day of strike and demonstrations in the education sector for Tuesday, November 10, escalating pressure on the government ahead of a key social conference.
The announcement came as the intersyndicate described the government’s first responses on posts, resources, school buildings and access to higher education as “insufficient”.
Government’s Conference Faces Public Sector Walkout
The conference is scheduled for Monday at Matignon. The move has been criticized by the education unions as an exclusion. Public sector unions will be received separately on Friday, November 13 — a timeline the intersyndicate calls a sign of contempt.
“The exclusion of the public sector, and therefore of the National Education and higher education and research, from the discussions on wages and purchasing power confirms the contempt of this government,” the joint communiqué from the CGT-FSU-FO-Sud-USL-Unef-Union étudiante-Unef-Fage-FSE alliance stated. The communiqué was released on Saturday by the Snes-FSU, the leading union in collèges and lycées.
Strategic Calculations on Both Sides
The communiqué asserts, “The social movement is in a position of strength, the government in a position of weakness and is beginning to retreat. It is time to amplify the mobilization by continuing to put the government under pressure.”
The intersyndicate, which brings together high school, student and teachers’ organizations, states that the government’s first responses on posts, resources, school buildings and access to higher education are “insufficient”.
Strike Scheduled for Tuesday
- Escalation Imminent: A day of strike and demonstrations in the education sector is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, the day after the government’s social conference on Monday.
- Core Dispute: The government’s decision to exclude public sector unions from the main social conference on Monday, scheduling a separate meeting for November 13, has been labeled as an act of “contempt” by the unions.
- Strategic Pressure: The unions are leveraging the timing to exert pressure, claiming the government is “in a position of weakness” and criticizing the exclusion of the public sector from discussions on wages and purchasing power.
What Happens Next on the Calendar
The immediate focus shifts to Monday’s social conference at Matignon, convened by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with unions and employers’ representatives — but without the public sector unions, who will be received on Friday, November 13.
The intersyndicate has stated its intention to continue putting the government under pressure. The unions’ core demands concern wages, purchasing power, posts, resources, school buildings and access to higher education.
The standoff centers on public sector demands over purchasing power and the exclusion of the public sector — and therefore of National Education, higher education and research — from discussions on wages and purchasing power at Monday’s conference.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
