Frustrating all forecasts, the determination and tenacity of the strikers are still intact on the 24th day of the strike against the Macron bill to liquidate the retirement pension system (based on deferred salary) to establish a “universal point system”, a prelude to capitalization.
To say that the fight is hard is a euphemism. Upon entering its fourth week, the strike already breaks the record of duration set in 1995 by transport (RATP) and trains (SNCF). Thus, despite the maneuvers of the leadership, despite the excessive use of managers and strikebreakers, despite the propaganda, despite the period of school vacations, today only 50% of TGVs (high-speed trains) and less than 30% of intercity trains are running. The same in transport, where 6 subway lines are fully closed and 8 operate only from 6.30 to 9.30 and from 16.30 to 19.30. Suffice it to say that the leaders of these public companies are forced, against their will, to apply the union minimum.
But transport workers are not alone in the struggle. Among others, let us
mention the employees of the electricity company (EDF) that, for two weeks,
have carried out energy cuts in public buildings (police stations,
administrations), reconnected the electricity of those who have had it cut for
unpaid bills or even lowered rates during “rush hour” for hundreds of thousands
of homes. We must mention the petrochemical workers, and especially those who
keep 7 of the 8 national refineries on strike. We must finally think of the
workers of the Paris National Opera, dancers, musicians, administrative workers
and technicians.
This Saturday, December 28, was also marked by the
organization of more than 50 “decentralized” mobilizations and several hundred
actions (free tolls, pickets, marches, flyers…). Rarely has the social and
political history of this country experienced a conflict of this magnitude at
this time of year. It is a clear sign of the anger of the masses.
In lieu of these considerations, surveys and popular support for the strike should be evaluated. This same population considers, by a great majority, that Macron´s bill is “bad” and that the responsibility of the “crisis” rests primarily with the government. The other marker of popular support for strikers is workers’ financial solidarity. In fact, dozens of strike funds have been created to help and support striking workers and their families: the largest of these funds today has almost 1.5 million Euros.
Because of their tenacity and intact unity at the base, unions, activists and workers inflict a double defeat: on one hand on Macron and Philippe, who lose their attempt to turn public opinion around and, on the other hand, on the bureaucratic union apparatuses that see their dream of a “truce” fly out the door. Against all expectations, the strikers are about to carry through the holiday “bridge”, imposing the continuity of the strike in the general assemblies, and organizing local actions everywhere when the union leaders had decided that nothing would happen between 19 December and January 9.
In addition, the holiday season is not a priori favorable to marches … From this point of view, the strike is so powerful that many companies are inactive, many administrations and public services are closed, and many workers are on vacation, like National Education.
Monday, January 6 is the return to school. And all the ingredients for an explosive 2020 are there. Macron and his government know it. That is why they try to deactivate some sectors by “negotiating” reform arrangements. This is the case, for example, of the military, police, customs, jail guards, truck drivers and pilots, who are promised the recognition of “specificities”, including maintaining all existing retirement regimes, as the strikers justly and legitimately claim for everyone!
Dividing workers also implies the smoke of “negotiations” with union leaderships. The government obviously depends on “reformist” centrals such as the CFDT, UNSA, the CFTC and the GSC to achieve this. But the tactic implemented on December 17 failed painfully and today has the same limits. If the bureaucrats of the CFDT and UNSA called to demonstrate on December 17, it was better to announce a “truce”. That call to “suspend” the strike, as we know, was rejected by the rank-and-file. Activists and strikers left their federal and confederal leaders in a minority, creating out tensions and internal disagreements.
The same applies to the CGT-FO-FSU-SUD block. Willing to undertake “negotiations”, they were invited to the “social dialogue” table set up by the government for a month starting on January 7. Martinez and Veyrier were forced by the pressure of the strike to resume the slogan “down with the reform”, but both are careful not to break the “discussions” with the government and argue that “another reform is possible” and that “the government´s bill can be improved”.
While the strikers demand that the bill fall, all regimes be maintained, the return of the legal retirement age to 60 years, the 37.5 annual payments, the calculation of the best 10 years, general salary increase, more employment, and the termination and return by the employer of the exemptions to their social contributions, Veyrier and Martínez propose to “increase the contribution rates” and “tax the financial income” respectively.
For a year now, with the beginning of the yellow vests movement, the emergence of the masses in the political arena has been an objective factor in the acceleration and amplification of the class struggle. We see that its concrete effects are far from over. After the slogan “without withdrawal of the bill, there is no truce” was born in the general assemblies on the morning of December 18, now teachers also warn: “without withdrawal there is no return to classes”. It is the way of the general strike that the masses seek.
For our part, we will not make any predictions about the course or the outcome of the current strike. Because the result of the struggle is given by the struggle. But if the fight is not over, let us keep in mind that the knockout blow can come much faster than some believe. Thus Chirac and Juppé paid the price in 1995. For now, there is much to do for strikers and workers in struggle. Long live the strike!
Paris, December 28, 2019
(Circular of La Commune N° 123)
