The demonstration against the Work Act of March 17, called on by young people, was a success: the university and high school students, joined by many workers, gave a follow-up to March 9 and laid the groundwork for the next demonstrations on March 24 and 31.
The government’s small edits to the El Khomri Act did not defuse the anger, because the most important measures remain. There is first and foremost anger against a government that pretended to be “on the left” but was proactive in fulfilling all the needs of the employers. Young people made signs denouncing the Socialist Party’s promises that resulted only in more unemployment. Other slogans warned that the never-ending attacks from the bosses would lead to social unrest. Let’s hope they are right!
For employees, whom the students have began to contact here and there, it is vital to keep on mobilizing against this law, which fundamentally attacks permanent job contracts by facilitating the so-called economic redundancies. How cynical is it to try to make us swallow that facilitating dismissals will create jobs. As if the redundancies, site closures and massive job cuts of recent years in the auto industry and most of the major companies did not demonstrate the opposite. The bosses lay off workers to better exploit those who remain.
And the planned lowering of overtime pay will boost this exploitation. A future for which mobilized young people have no desire: “dad, mom, what is a permanent contract?” could also be read on their banners. The so-called “guarantee for youth” will certainly not go against the attacks, but offer free labour to employers.
So on March 24, the day the draft law is read by the Council of Ministers, let’s meet in the streets with the young people.
Then on March 31, all together on strike and in the street to demand the full withdrawal of the Work Act!
