The FNME-CGT, first union organization in the energy industry, announced Wednesday its intention to strike until the end of June for “a new service for electricity and gas”, with shares including “cuts targeted” businesses.
The federation of energy wants to implement a “convergence of struggles”, explained Sébastien Menesplier, secretary general of the CGT Mines-Energy, so that the CGT is organising the national day of mobilization interprofessional Thursday. General meetings will be held on Wednesday and Thursday with employees, during which will be made “in the discussion of interventions in the tool of work,” he said.
These actions can be “cuts targeted towards enterprises, where employers are laying off” or “criminalize trade union action”, he argued, citing the Carrefour as an example, or even “actions of lower production of electricity and gas, which can begin as early” Wednesday evening. “Actions in the direction of users for those that have suffered cuts energy” are also envisaged, as well as “shifts in peak hour in off-peak hours” to lower the bill of the users, he added.
Power cut in the trains?
Cut off the electricity “business did not go well and so that fire, I’m not sure that it will improve the situation”, has criticised Wednesday Benjamin Griveaux, the government spokesman, on Franceinfo. “This is probably not the best ways to help support this company and help its employees”, he estimated. At the end of march, the FNME-CGT had announced to call a strike from 3 April until 28 June, over the same period as the strike at the SNCF. To ride, the trains need energy, so there are also actions to be carried out in this direction”, warned Mr. Menesplier, while the fourth episode of the strike of the railway workers against the reform of the railway began on Tuesday evening.
But the federation’s energy also carries its own claims. While the multi-annual programming of energy (EPP), to determine the energy path of France for 2019-2023, is currently being “debated publicly, we want to be heard and weigh in on the debate,” explained Mr. Menesplier. It is necessary to “begin by making an assessment of the deregulation of energy, which for almost 20 years (…) has brought devastating effects both for employees and for users”, he said.
Other “highlights” are provided the 24, the 26 April, 1 may, the following dates are still to be determined, he said.
(Source : AFP)
