Some sectors did not wait until March 7 to begin their strike action against the pension reform project.

Electricians and gas companies started theirs on Friday March 3, putting electricity production under tension and being ready to toughen up the movement.

They could be joined by truckers from Sunday March 5 in the evening.

To "put France to a halt" on March 7, the stated objective of the great day of mobilization against the reform, the inter-union is counting on massive and even renewable strike movements in all sectors.

Update on the main mobilizations expected:

Industry and energy

In energy, the movement started on Friday afternoon at the call of the CGT, because of the opening of the debate on Saturday in the Senate on article 1 of the text, on the abolition of special pension plans, including that of energy companies.

By early Sunday afternoon, production cuts reached nearly 5,000 megawatts, the equivalent of five nuclear reactors. 

In Gravelines (North), two out of six reactors have been in the hands of strikers since Saturday afternoon, who have reduced the production of one to a minimum and are blocking the maintenance of another.

At Tricastin, the four reactors are in the hands of strikers who are continuing to cut production.

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In hydraulics, the unions indicate that the "machines have been shut down until further notice" and that strike pickets have been installed in Chassezac (Ardèche).

The movement "aims to expand", "at least until the 7th and at the most until winning", warned Sébastien Ménesplier, general secretary of the CGT Energie, on Saturday.

He promised "a dark week in energy", with targeted cuts, blockages, occupations, and always "Robin Hood operations" aimed at the population (such as the cutting of road radars).

In the refineries, the CGT also called for a renewable strike, with the aim of "blocking the entire economy", at the level of the production, distribution and importation of fuel, according to the CGT- Chemistry.

Initially, the strikers intend to block shipments from refineries to depots, but if the movement were to last three days or more, it could lead to the shutdown of refineries.

That of Donges (Loire-Atlantique), one of the largest of TotalEnergies, is already "out of production" due to an electrical problem that occurred on February 27, according to management.

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Another link, the refuellers or "sky pumpers", responsible for supplying the planes, are also called to strike in airports throughout France.

The CGT, the leading union in the sector, expects an "immediate" impact.

The entire oil and chemical sector is called upon to strike, including in the pharmaceutical sector.

New in the industry, the call to strike in the whole of the metallurgy and in particular among the giants of the sector: aeronautics, automobile and steel are all concerned by a strike that the branch union hopes to see renewed.

The CGT unions of Thales, Valeo, Stellantis, ArcelorMittal, Forvia, Airbus, Safran and Renault have notably called for action.

The various metalworking industries employ some 1.5 million workers.

In the agri-food sector, the CGT is calling on the big French sugar producers to shut down from Tuesday.

road

Truck drivers also intend to join the movement, with some unions like Force Ouvrière-UNCP calling for mobilization from Sunday evening, with blockages of logistics platforms, industrial zones and snail operations around major cities from Monday morning. 

Transport

On the transport side too, disruptions are expected.

On its Twitter account, the RATP predicts "very disrupted traffic on the RER and metro networks" and "disturbed traffic on the Bus and tram networks" for the day of March 7.

[#MouvementSocial] Following a notice calling for an interprofessional strike day on Tuesday March 7, the #RATP is planning very disrupted traffic on the RER and Metro networks.

Traffic will be disrupted on the Bus and Tram network ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/nIkapzzz7j

— RATP Group (@RATPgroup) March 5, 2023

Traffic will be "severely disrupted on all the lines operated by SNCF Voyageurs", with one train in five on average for the TGV Inoui and Ouigo as well as for the TER, according to the SNCF, whose all the unions have called for a renewable strike movement.

Thalys and Eurostar are also affected with two out of three trains on average, and the France-Germany and France-Spain links completely interrupted.

On the Intercités side, there will be "no traffic", day or night, "with the exception of a Paris-Brive round trip, two Paris-Clermont round trips and traffic normal Toulouse-Hendaye by substitute coach", indicates the SNCF in a press release.

Finally, concerning SNCF Transilien traffic, one train in three will run on RER A and B and on railway lines H, K, U, one train in five on RER C and D as well as on lines J, L, N, R, and one in ten on the RER E and line P.

The SNCF specifies that its notice begins on Monday 6 from 7 p.m. and recommends “to travelers who can cancel or postpone their trips planned for this day, and to favor teleworking”.

TGV and Intercités passengers concerned by the cancellation of their train will be contacted by email or SMS in order to exchange their ticket free of charge for another train as far as possible or to cancel their ticket on the SNCF sites and applications with full refund, specifies the rail operator.

Education 

The Snuipp-FSU, the first union of the first degree will not give its strike forecasts for nursery and elementary schools until Monday.

Conversely, no figures expected for colleges and high schools, secondary school teachers not being required to declare themselves strikers 48 hours before.

However, the disturbances in all the establishments are expected to be strong.

The seven main teacher unions have indeed called for “total closure of schools, colleges, high schools and services” on March 7. 

Sporadic blockages by high school students are also expected.

Ditto in the universities, where mobilization is struggling to take off.

Student and high school organizations have called for "hardening the movement" against the reform with a day of youth mobilization on March 9.

With AFP

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