Despite the Covid, the unions hope to be heard on September 17

Demonstration on June 30, 2020 in Paris of health workers.

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• Several unions and student organizations will demonstrate this Thursday, September 17.

• The health context obviously disrupts the organization of gatherings.

• The mobilization of "yellow vests" can also represent a form of competition.

Are the masks going to stifle the demo?

While several unions and student organizations (CGT, FSU, Solidaires, Fidl, MNL, Unef, UNL) have planned to pound the pavement next Thursday, September 17, the health context could play on inter-professional mobilization which will bring several demands at the same time. time: rise in wages, defense of employment, abandonment of the pension reform.

On the organizational side, we obviously have to adapt to the new situation.

The wearing of the compulsory mask in some cities, the respect of barrier measures (physical distancing) and the limitation of processions to 5,000 people make the organizers think.

"It is not a day that will unite thousands of people", recognizes Benoît Teste, secretary general of the FSU, at

.

“We do not expect a human tide,” confirms Elie Lambert (Solidaires).

Give voice

"The health situation will make mobilization complicated," Benoît Teste adds.

Some may fear going to gatherings.

Moreover, in education, teachers have just found their students after months of confinement and vacations, so this mobilization date may come a little early for them ”.

However, the organizers are clear: despite the upsurge of the epidemic - nearly 10,000 new cases of Covid were recorded daily at the end of last week - there is no question of remaining silent on social issues.

"It's our responsibility" asserts Elie Lambert.

"The non-dialogue imposed by the government means that these mobilizations remain necessary," adds Helno Eyriey, vice-president of the UNEF.

Questions such as employment or pensions must remain in the public debate ”.

"Emmanuel Macron was also committed to revalorize the essential trades (garbage collectors, for example), but nothing was done", deplores Valérie Lesage (CGT Ile-de-France), who also considers that the advances obtained during of the health sector are too limited.

Hence the urgent need for unions and student organizations to give voice in the street.

“The classic form of the parade remains the one that public authorities and government listen to the most,” says Helno Eyriey.

"The health question should not erase the social question"

“The right to demonstrate seems absolutely essential to us and must be defended in times like this,” continues Benoît Teste.

We can clearly see the abuses that there can be in reducing trade union rights in the name of public health ”.

A very clear allusion to the decree of June 14, which severely limited the right to demonstrate by subjecting it to prior authorization.

The text was finally retested by the Council of State in early July.

“The health issue should not erase the social issue,” concludes Helno Eyriey.

What is the point of being protected against Covid-19 if you can no longer pay your rent?

".

The unions are not the only ones to have had the idea of ​​taking to the streets.

After several months of hiatus, confinement requires, the "yellow vests" also want to show that they still have strength.

The police headquarters banned them from demonstrating in Paris last Saturday, fearing disturbances to public order and non-compliance with barrier gestures.

But their return, they who are very doubtful vis-à-vis the unions, is not necessarily good news for them.

"The" yellow vests "believe that the unions are no longer able to mobilize effectively", recognizes Benoît Teste.

The trade unionist nevertheless assures us that points of convergence are possible: “Even if we do not call to participate in their mobilization, we highlight the fact that the concerns that we carry are the same, with among others the protection of the employment and wages.

"Between the resurgence of the epidemic, the possible fear of going to demonstrate and the competition of" yellow vests ", those who will march on September 17 therefore have an interest in singing loudly under their mask to hope to be heard.

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