Paris (AFP)
"Because of Macron, it is the fall of pensions": Gare de l'Est, Friday in Paris, after a general meeting of railway workers renewing a strike "far from over", a hundred women perform the choreography in successful demonstrations against pension reform.
Work blue, red headband with white polka dots, yellow household gloves, the dancers donned the costume originally dressed by Attac feminists, inspired by the image of "Rosie the riveter", to denounce a reform " whose women are the big losers, "they explain. Rosie, an emblematic figure of the workers running American factories during the Second World War, became an icon of activism for women's rights.
"Revolution, revolution": chanted by the dancers under the glass roof of the station, freezing on this January morning, the word punctuates the symbolic execution of pension funds: in front of travelers with suitcases on wheels, "Rosies" strike down '' one of the giant puppets of vultures, called BlackRock, BNP, Societe Generale, Axa or even Aviva, brandished by opponents of the reform.
After the choreography, head to Place de la République and the start of the interprofessional event organized in Paris for this 7th day of national mobilization against the government's point retirement plan.
Among the railway workers previously gathered in a general assembly (GA) on the forecourt of the station, Matthieu Chapuis has been on strike since the first day of the movement, on December 5, he told AFP. On his "51st day on strike" in a row, this switchman is still "ready to continue as long as it takes" because "what (he) carries is the hope of a better world", resistant "to the liberal offensive. "
Certainly, "in recent days, the renewable strike was very minority" at the SNCF, after weeks of mobilization, but the movement "adapts", adopts "a new rhythm" to "target the highlights" at the national level, explains this activist SUD-Rail. The rate of strikers also went up Friday to 13.9%, according to management, after 2.8% Thursday.
- "By all means" -
"We must amplify the movement, mobilize with others because we will all win together," said Joanny Poncet, deputy director of a Parisian Franprix store, who came to support the railway workers. He himself is "on strike every day for national mobilization". A CGT activist, he fights "against individualism, the world of every man for himself".
Next week, "we must accentuate the mobilization over the three days" chosen by the national inter-union - January 29 for a new interprofessional day, 30 and 31 for initiatives -, but also "maintain the mobilization from Monday", act "not only on the national highlights" and "by all possible means", pleaded at the microphone of the GA Patrick Belhadj of the CGT-Cheminots.
Refusing to attach the label of "baroud of honor" to the national mobilization on Friday, the day of the presentation of the reform bill to the Council of Ministers, Emmanuelle Bigot of SUD-Rail says that "the strike is far to be finished ".
"The parliamentary work will only begin", "hundreds and sometimes thousands of workers" participated Thursday evening in torchlight marches all over France, "we will win", she assures.
Professor in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, "moved to be there", Arnaud says "bravo to the railway workers" for their "exemplary fight" against a "catastrophic reform for everyone". "We in education are not at the level (...), the mobilization is not as strong as hoped, but it is there," adds the teacher. "We loose nothing!" he launches to the applause of the GA.
In blue jacket and pants, the hair retained by a red band, ready to participate in the choreography, Sophie Binet adds: "Every day that passes, there is a new stone in the government's shoe", whose "difficulties do not make than start. " "The fight will continue and we will win!" considers the woman responsible for gender equality at the CGT.
The GA goes to the vote: the railroad workers renew the strike until January 29.
© 2020 AFP