France: mobilization for pensions at the time of act 2
The demonstration against the pension reform, Thursday January 19, 2023, in Paris.
AP - Lewis Joly
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
New mobilization against the pension reform, in France, this Tuesday, January 31.
Hundreds of rallies are organized across the country, at the call of the inter-union.
A rare movement of unity for the unions.
On the ground, union activists are stepping up their efforts to motivate the troops.
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Red and black coat on the back, Nino Schillaci leaves work quickly, the time of a short lunch break.
Educator for ten years, he has been a CGT union member for five years.
For this reform, it is not difficult to mobilize the crowds, he says: "
Even my colleagues who are not unionized at all, they want to get involved in this movement, and they are the ones who tell me: '
We What time do we go to the demo together? How do we organize ourselves?
"So there is a real excitement.
»
On Tuesday, he and his colleagues will be numerous in the procession.
Some even think of unionizing for good.
The means are not lacking to convince, starting with the door-to-door.
"
It's ultimately an essential tool for me, because you're really one-on-one with the people you're going to meet
," explains Nino Schillaci.
►Also listen: Pension reform: "This event will weigh more than others on the ongoing debates"
Nothing better than the field, confirms Youen Le Noxaic, syrup maker at Orangina.
He also has one in hand, from Orangina, seated in a Parisian café.
“
We towed, we communicated through social networks, but I think that talking with the employees was much more profitable.
We expect to have 15 to 20% of the Courneuve workforce on strike tomorrow
, ”he confides.
Against 10% last time.
He has been a member of the Force Ouvrière for seven years, but his efforts are not limited to work.
“
Me, I have my mother who is 71 years old, who will be part of the strike even if she is already retired.
For his children and grandchildren
,” adds Youen Le Noxaic.
Young people more mobilized too, he predicts.
He, like Nino, hopes in any case for a demonstration even stronger than the first, or at least equivalent.
On January 19, two million people marched, according to the unions.
Service France,
Solene Leroux
Pensions: the government put to the test
The government's media offensive has been massive in recent days.
The heavyweights were out, from Bruno Le Maire to Élisabeth Borne via Gérald Darmanin.
With a message, there is no question of backing down on the two-year shift in the legal retirement age.
The Prime Minister has taken it upon herself to display the government's determination not to give up on the flagship measure of the reform, demonstration or not.
A dialogue of the deaf with the unions, which have made the 64-year-old a red rag and announce a very strong mobilization for this second day of strike and demonstration, which could be followed by others.
In this showdown, the surveys follow one another and look alike, indicating that the respondents lean towards the opponents of the reform.
The battle for public opinion already seems lost for the government, which still hopes to be able to limit the damage in the political debate in Parliament by leaving the door ajar for a few concessions on hardship, long careers, employment of seniors or the consequences of the reform for women.
For the rest, Emmanuel Macron spoke on Monday, on the sidelines of a trip to The Hague, in the Netherlands.
The president declared that this reform is “indispensable when we compare ourselves in Europe” and to “
save our system
” by distribution.
And to reinforce the words of his Prime Minister, who declared that the postponement of the age was "no
longer negotiable
": when Élisabeth Borne "
says something
", "
she says it with good reasons and I support her
" , he launched.
Political Service,
Valérie Gas
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