While the government wants to adopt its civil service reform before the summer, the unions denounce "a passage in force" of the executive.

Several hundred officials gathered Wednesday in Paris near the Elysee, at the call of all their unions, to protest against the bill by which the government intends to reform the civil service.

The government wants to pass the text, presented the same day in the Council of Ministers, "before the summer" for application "January 1, 2020," said Secretary of State for Public Service Olivier Dussopt. "A passage in force" denounced by the unions, which unanimously reject the reform in the state.

Gathering of trade unions to challenge the @gouvernementFR gathered today in the Council of Ministers to discuss the draft law Public Service, project against which voted @ CFDTpic.twitter.com / MEr6BulWRa

- CFDT (@CFDT) March 27, 2019

"Give us back our public services". The agents met at midday, Place Chassaigne-Goyon, not far from the Elysee. They were armed with colorful flags of their union federations (CGT, FO, CFDT, FSU, Solidarity, FA-FP, Unsa, CFE-CGC, CFTC) as well as placards on which one could read "Give us back our public services" or "Abused civil servants, general interest in danger".

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"The social dialogue does not exist The roadmap has been established for a long time," lamented Jean-Marc Canon (CGT) during a speech. "We will not give up!", He concluded, calling for tougher mobilization that March 27 "is only a step" to "get the withdrawal of this rogue bill".

A "destructive bill for the public service". Same story for FO who wants "the pure and simple withdrawal" of the text and calls for "real negotiations on the point of index (which is used to calculate the remuneration of civil servants) and tenure" of agents in precarious situation . Gaëlle Martinez (Solidaires) denounced "a passage in force of the government" and warned against a bill "destructive for the public service and more generally for the public services and users of our country".

Symbolic gatherings were also planned in the regions, as in Nantes, where 80 agents gathered in front of the Loire-Atlantique prefecture.