Strike of February 16: what disturbances to expect?

SNCF, RATP, airports, refineries… The unions are calling for a new day of mobilization this Thursday, the last step before the renewable strike.

Par Thibaut Deleaz

The unions are calling for a fifth day of mobilization this Thursday, February 16, against the pension reform.
© Julien Mattia / Le Pictorium / MAXPPP

Published on 02/14/2023 at 12:00 p.m.

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Un new day of mobilization to maintain the pressure. The unions are calling for a strike and demonstration this Thursday, February 16 against the government’s pension reform project. No doubt all eyes will be on the National Assembly, where the debates on the text will end the next day, whether all the articles have been discussed or not, the government having chosen an accelerated legislative vehicle.

If the last strike on Saturday February 11, the first to be held over a weekend, was much less followed, the French still marched massively in the streets. The mobilization does not seem to weaken, and the unions are now brandishing the threat of a renewable strike and a “blocking” of the country. We take stock of the disruptions expected this Thursday.

READ ALSOPensions: why power does not fear the street

Transports

On Saturday, the unions had not called for a strike, so as not to disrupt vacation departures and avoid antagonizing public opinion, which is still very favorable to the movement. The last walkout, Tuesday and Wednesday, had already been less followed than the previous ones, but had still caused significant disruption, both nationally and locally. This Thursday, February 16, the CGT railwaymen call to mobilize. Traffic forecasts will be known Tuesday at the end of the day.

On the side of the RATP, whose special regime is threatened by the reform, the inter-union deplores the “contempt” of the government facing the street and also calls for mobilization this Thursday, February 16. The traffic of the Paris metro and the RER A and B had been very disrupted during previous mobilizations, except Saturday, February 11, where the strike had no impact according to the management. Here again, we will see more clearly on Tuesday evening, just like for the transport networks of other metropolises.

Airports

Nothing to report for the moment on the side of the air traffic controllers. During previous days of mobilization, around 20% of flights had to be canceled at Paris Orly airport. But Saturday, a surprise strike led to the cancellation of half of Orly flights in the afternoon and led, in particular, Toulouse-Blagnac airport to close at 8 p.m.

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Fuel

In the refineries, the CGT is also calling for a strike this Thursday, February 16. If the movement is rather followed in the sector, the mobilizations have not yet caused blocking or shutdown of the sites, the employees not being yet ready to harden the movement as the union would like. No fuel shortage in sight.

Schools

A good part of France – zones A and B – being in school holidays, the strike of this Thursday, February 16 should have little impact on National Education.

And after ?

This Thursday, February 16 is only a stepping stone before what the unions hope will be a turning point in the conflict, on March 7. The inter-union calls for a “renewable strike” from this date, hoping to harden the movement against an inflexible executive. She hopes to make Tuesday March 7 a day “France at a standstill”.