from truckers to energy, the mobilization begins before the “shutdown” of March 7

The mobilizations against the pension reform project resume even before March 7, the date chosen by the inter-union for “bring the country to a standstill”. “One of the most difficult days we have known”predicted Sunday on France 3 Transport Minister Clément Beaune. Among the truckers, several unions are proposing a strike from Sunday evening. Blockages could be organized as early as Monday morning.

The National Federation of Transport and Logistics (FNTL) FO-UNCP called in a press release “all road drivers to stop from Sunday evening March 5 at 10 p.m.”, adding that the work stoppages will then be renewed on March 6 and 7. The Federal Road Union FGTE-CFDT, the majority union, only called for mobilization for March 7, at the same time as the other sectors.

Asked about BFM TVthe general secretary of the FNTL FO-UNCP, Patrice Clos, on the other hand refused to reveal the place of the actions. “We realized that when we warned certain journalists, the police were there before us, (…) so we’ll let you know at the last moment.”he justified.

The union explains that the government’s pension reform will also concern truck drivers, who will have to work two more years despite the end-of-service leave (CFA) they benefit from, which allows them to leave earlier. “The departure for the CFA will no longer be at 57, but at 59”says FO in its press release.

The energy already mobilized

In some sectors, such as gas companies and electricians, the mobilization began on Friday. An advance on the schedule decided with the start of discussions in the Senate of the government bill, and the vote to abolish several special regimes. The agents of EDF, in renewable strike, multiplied the actions on Saturday, bringing to nearly 5,000 megawatts the reductions in production since Friday evening, the equivalent of five nuclear reactors.

According to Fabrice Coudour, federal secretary of the CGT energy joined by Agence France-Presse, “the first network safety messages are reached and our goal is not to affect users” ; in other words, the strikers intend not to increase the reductions as long as these warning messages on the balance between production and consumption are issued by the network regulator. “But the question of going further will arise next week”he warned, “we will be able to do anything”.

The four nuclear production units in Tricastin (Drôme) were affected on Saturday by load drops of around 2,000 megawatts, according to the EDF website, as well as unit 2 in Flamanville (Manche). At midday, the fifth unit of Gravelines (North), Paluel 2 (Seine-et-Maritime) and the first section of Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux (Loir-et-Cher) were in turn affected, erasing nearly 2,000 megawatts of production.

On the gas side, unit 6 of the Martigues thermal power plant (Bouches-du-Rhône) “is still arrested by the striking agents”causing a decrease in “465 megawatts removed from the grid”, according to the CGT. The union also demanded a bet “in energy sobriety” of ” many “ speed cameras in Mayenne, [dans les] Bouches-du-Rhone, [dans les] Alpes de Haute Provence, [en] Gironde…”. Clearly, these radars no longer work. “We don’t say where, so we maintain prevention, but we remove the sanction”justified Mr. Coudour.

“Major disruptions” in transport

Among the other professions expected on the strike front, the SNCF and the RATP must communicate their forecasts Sunday at 5 p.m., but “major disturbances” have already been announced by Ile-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), the transport authority in the Ile-de-France region.

Transport Minister Clément Beaune called on Friday all French people who can to telecommute. “The 7th is going to be hard”, he admitted. International connections should also be affected. On the side of the Thalys, “traffic will be disrupted and all customers have been notified”said a spokeswoman on Saturday evening.

In the air, the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) has asked companies to reduce their flight schedules on Tuesday and Wednesday, by 20% at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle and 30% at Paris-Orly , Beauvais, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice and Toulouse. “Air France plans to operate nearly eight out of ten flights, including all of its long-haul flights”the company said. “However, last-minute delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out. »

Gradual blockages at refiners

In the refineries, the CGT has also called for a renewable strike, with the aim of “block 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 most important of TotalEnergies, is already “out of production” due to an electrical problem that occurred on February 27, according to management.

Another link, refuellers or “sky firefighters”, responsible for supplying planes, are also called to strike in airports throughout France. The CGT, the leading union in the sector, expects an impact ” immediate “. The entire oil and chemical sector is called upon to strike, including in the pharmaceutical sector.

New in the industry, the call for a strike in the whole of the metallurgy industry, and in particular among the giants of the sector, listed on the CAC40: aeronautics, automobile, steel industry 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 a strike.

“Totally close schools”

The SNUipp-FSU, the first union of the first degree will not give its strike forecasts for nursery and elementary schools before Monday. Conversely, no figures expected for colleges and high schools, secondary school teachers not being required to declare themselves strikers forty-eight hours before. However, the disturbances in all the establishments are expected to be strong.

The seven main teacher unions have indeed called for “Totally close schools, [les] colleges, [les] high schools and [les] services “ March 7. The anger against the reform will be sharpened by the dissatisfaction on the salary question, in spite of the proposals for revaluations of the ministry. 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 “strengthen the movement” against the reform with a day of youth mobilization on March 9.