URGENT: Solidarity with workers general strike in France

[griffjam]

(English: Google Translation)
Solidarity w/ workers general strike in France on Jan 29/2009


Trade unions in France, CGT, CFDT, FOR, FSU, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA and SOLIDARY called workers in the private and public, the unemployed and pensioners in France for a general strike on 29 January 2009.

In a statement, the unions insisting on the disastrous consequences of the global financial crisis of capitalism on conditions of work and lives of workers, denouncing the action taken by the French state and the result of the market economy, demand emergency measures to cope with the crisis. The claims are announced:

- Job security

- Improve the purchasing power by increasing wages

- Reducing inequalities

- Directing the economic recovery towards employment and purchasing power

- Better working conditions for employees of public and private sectors

The International Alliance for support workers in Iran, shared the demands of workers in France. In thanking the class solidarity of the French labor movement struggles of workers in Iran, it supports the call for the strike on 29 January 2009 and calls on all activists and all organizations working in Iran to support this day of action .

Long live international solidarity of workers!

Victoir for the general strike of 29 January in France!

23 January 2009

[Invincible Summer]

Their demands seem fairly superficial, but hopefully this can turn into something bigger.

A national strike is impressive though.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Tres bien.

Trust the French. Always making good progress.

What about the unions? Are they all left-leaning or what?

[Bolshevik-Leninist]

Of course, these demands are to be supported. But as I gather from news online (I still cannot post links) we should reserve a bit of optimism about this. Based on what I understand, it is only a one-day strike aimed at pressuring the government into meeting its highly abstract 'claims'. They are not concrete demands likely to be won. In fact, there seems to me every reason to believe that the economic crisis means that French workers will be (or perhaps already have been) facing the same coming attacks by their capitalist class that American workers will be from Obama. It is good to see a general strike, but it would be much better to see a general strike aimed at winning.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon last night dismissed calls for concessions to appease the strikers.

“It’s not the government’s role to make gestures,” Fillon said on France 2 television. “It’s the government’s role to keep reforms on track.”
While I have no confidence in any capitalist politicians to meet the needs of the workers and oppressed, I think his attitude probably sums up most politicians' take on a one-day strike that they need do nothing to squash. But let us hope this is continued and extended so that real gains can be won.

[Invincible Summer]

One-day general strike? That's pretty lame.

I mean, I applaud the fact that they decided to carry out a general strike, but to expect to get any meaningful progress with a one-day strike is silly.


In fact, they had a general strike a few years ago (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2003/05/13/france_strike030513.html) for similar reasons.


Do they want strikes every year, or one big one that will change society in their favor?

[Enragé]

they're not revolutionary syndicalist, but this is hopeful, especially seeing what's been happening all over europe

[PRC-UTE]

this describes the growing radicalism in the rank and file, and something I didn't know about, that many who go on strike are not union members.


IRISH TIMES EDITORIAL Friday, January 30, 2009
Protest in France
FRENCH TRADE unions regularly compensate for their organisational weakness by
staging spectacular days of action enjoying pronounced public approval. Yesterday’s
national strike was a case in point. Eight of the country’s unions combined in a
protest about how the government is handling the economic crisis and dealing with
rising levels of unemployment and inequality.
The large impact on everyday life certainly ensured their case was heard, rebutting
President Nicolas Sarkozy’s remark last year that when strikes happen these days in
France, nobody notices. Opinion polls show widespread public approval for the
actions, reflecting a disenchantment with government policy, disappointment with his
failure to deliver on promises and dissatisfaction with the unbalanced way the
recent €26 billion stimulus programme has been organised. He will have to take
account of this protest if it is not to escalate.
In fact France has not yet been quite as badly affected by the worldwide downturn as
other European Union member states, like Spain, the United Kingdom or Ireland, since
it is not as exposed in the financial sector or through property bubbles. But
unemployment is rising fast and strategic industries are being hit hard. On top of
that the reversal of economic fortunes since Mr Sarkozy’s election in 2007
undermines his capacity to combine structural reforms to encourage innovation with
continuing growth. No wonder he made another remark last month that France is not
the easiest country to govern. That was after he withdrew a reform of the secondary
school system for fear it would embolden a student union influenced by the wave of
violent street protests in Greece. Yesterday’s events were stimulated by a radical
new rank and file trade union movement influenced by a resurgent extreme left
commanding widespread support among workers disillusioned with the existing union
leaders. In response, that leadership took the initiative to organise a national
action.
Only a small minority of French workers in most industries and services are actually
trade union members, but many more are willing to support them on these occasions.
As a result direct action takes the place of the grinding negotiations between
social partners we are used to in Ireland, where union membership is higher and
national strikes more rare. But it would be a mistake for other EU states not to
take proper notice of what happened yesterday in France, since their citizens are
subject to the same socio-economic pressures.