This February 16, there was a new strike and massive mobilization. It is the fifth day against the anti-retirement reform of Macron and the employers. There thousands of people on the streets, parliamentary debates and a government that does not give in show that in France decisive days are coming.
By Gustavo Galeota. ISL France
As it was foreseeable shortly after the beginning of the school vacations, and as recognized by the Inter-Union, the media and the police, the level of adherence to the strike decreased on this fifth date. Nevertheless, the 16th was a new and massive display of the strength of the working class and the popular sectors in the streets against the retirement reform. This marks a month of strikes and marches throughout France, expressing the enormous popular rejection of the austerity plan of the government and the capitalists, who want people to work for more years, contribute more years and receive less in retirement payments.
Massive presence in the streets
| Day | According to the Police | According to the Inter-Union |
| 1st (January 19) | 1,120,000 | 2,000,000 |
| 2nd (January 31) | 1,272,000 | 2,800,000 |
| 3rd (February 7) | 757,000 | 2,000,000 |
| 4th (February 11) | 963,000 | 2,500,000 |
| 5th (February 16) | 440,000 | 1,300,000 |
Huge marches, deceitful debates
From minute one, the Executive Branch resorted to a maneuver in order to pass its bill: it presented it as a reform of the “funding of social security”. On this format, Article 47.1 of the Constitution provides: “Should the National Assembly fail to reach a decision on first reading within twenty days of the tabling of a Bill, the Government shall refer the Bill to the Senate, which shall make its decision known within fifteen days. The procedure set out in article 45 shall then apply… Should Parliament fail to reach a decision within fifty days, the provisions of the Bill may be implemented by Ordinance.”
Another move to which Macron could resort to is the anti-democratic constitutional article 49.3, which would allow him to establish the retirement reform by decree, albeit at a high political cost. That is why no confidence can be placed in a government that resorts to all kinds of schemes to push through its plans, nor in a parliament that lives with its back turned to the needs of the working people and the youth.
The representatives of La France Insoumise-NUPES presented some 14,000 amendments to the reform, an attitude which the pro-Macronist ruling party denounced as “parliamentary obstruction”. In turn, the leadership of the Intersyndical criticized LFI and proposes that Article 7 of the reform, which raises the retirement age from 62 to 64, be put to a vote. This opens a great risk and confirms that the union bureaucracy trusts the representatives more than the struggle. Unfortunately, LFI gave in and withdrew more than a thousand amendments. Even so, the National Assembly (lower house) missed the deadline to debate and vote, which expired on Friday the 17th, so the bill now goes to the Senate.
The only guarantee of victory: the general strike.
As chanted in the marches, the solution is not to pressure the representatives so that they “vote well”, but to continue to call general assemblies and coordinations to demand of the Inter-Union that the general strike called for March 7 be continued until the reform of Macron and the capitalists is defeated.
- Already several union sectors such as the CGT Railway Workers, SUD Rail and the Inter-Union RATP (public transport) are announcing an indefinite strike starting on the 7th, to tie in with the feminist strike of 8M and paralyze the whole country. Also the waste workers (CGT Public Services) and teaching sectors of the National Education. The refinery, petrochemical, rubber, plastic and pharmaceutical workers (CGT FNIC) begin the strike on March 6.
- The collective Feminist Strike, which brings together several groups, expresses in its unitary call: “On March 8 we all stop and demonstrate. We go on a feminist strike. We show the solidarity and strength of women. On March 8 we will all take to the streets together against retirement reform, for wage increases, against sexist and sexual violence, and in international solidarity with women all over the world”.
- And the student groups are calling for mobilizations on February 23 and March 9.
In synthesis, defining moments of this battle are approaching, which is possible to win in the streets and with the general strike.
