France: Rising Social Discontent

After a nearly a year as President of France, Emmanuel Macron is going through his first social crisis. Since February, the government has been facing sharp discontent from pensioners, students, railway workers, postmen, signalmen and pilots. The origin: a series of disruptive reforms.

Pensioners against the CSG

The main dispute is focused on the Generalized Social Contribution (CSG). On January 1, 2018, the government increased this levy by 1.7 % for any people earning EUR 1,200 per month ($1,455). On the receiving end, the pensioners spoke out against a reduction of their purchasing power. In September last year, between 39,000 and 68,000 pensioners took to the streets according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP). Yet, the government enforced the law and the discontent went unanswered.

Railwaymen against privatization

For years, the SNCF (French National Company) has been in trouble, the public company suffering from a huge debt of $54 billion. In order to save money, the Minister of Transport, Elisabeth Borne, proposed a reform. Within, it is planned to open the public service to competition and end railway workers’ benefits, including early retirement. Any reforms in any way connected to privatization are a bone of contention in France, all the more when it deals with such a public service as the SNCF.

Public opinion is divided on the question, and some protest both privatization and globalization. ‘Should we take a leaf out of the British book?’ asks a 30-year-old user.

Railway workers, fearing the end of their perks, began a huge strike on April 3, voting for a 48-hour strike every five days until late June. The consequence is nationwide disruption.

Postmen against the restructures

For three months, postmen have been taking to the streets in a number of regions (Britanny, Gironde, Paris). The cause is a service restructure which extends the working day from 7 AM – 2 PM to 7 AM -3.15 PM. In reality, though, the work time is almost the same when taking into account the addition of a 45-minute lunch break.

Currently, the delivery of mail in these regions is delayed.

Signalmen and pilots for a salary increase

For three months, workers from AirFrance have been in conflict with management. They ask for a general salary increase of 5.1%. However, the company heads refuse to push up wages by more than 0.5, justifying their position by asserting that AirFrance is facing financial problems. In response, the unions have pointed to the company’s rising profits in 2017. The workers decided to go on strike. As a result, air traffic is delayed and the losses so far are estimated at EUR 300 million ($350 million).

The ZAD conundrum

In 1967, the government decided to build an airport on fields near Nantes. The project never saw the light of the day, as people from all over the country came and took over the land, turning the area into a defensive zone (ZAD). Since the occupation began, alternative systems have been gaining ground. Developing local production, abolishing private property, encouraging human values and fleeing the capitalist and materialistic system were the key words of the Nantes ZAD.

This year, President Macron dropped the airport project to put an end to the illegal occupation. Yet, a number of occupants stayed, and the government sent security forces. This event generated a divide in public opinion. Social movements in the biggest cities spoke out in support of the occupants.

Students against selection promoted by the Loi Vidal

Since February 2018, student movements have been blocking their universities in opposition to the Loi Vidal (aka Loi ORE). This law puts an end to the random draw to enter university and promotes, in certain circumstances, selection based on academic records. In France, the educational system falls into two parts: either you choose a selective school (business school, engineering school or political sciences school) which are for the majority except the last which is private, or you choose a non-selective course (university).

A significant number of students oppose the law. Student unions claim that the Loi Vidal is a hidden social selection. For them, this call for competition is a change for the worse and will strengthen selection based on social origin. Indeed, Pierre Bourdieu, a french sociologist, in ‘The Inheritors: French Students and their Relation to Culture,’ showed how social origins influenced academic success.

On April 10, 1,200 students in Paris alone came out to criticize the law and support the railway workers. Now, the government is facing a convergence of struggles. In spite of negotiation, the contestation is not disminishing and the government has said that it will not reconsider its decisions. According to an Ipsos survey, 40% of citizens support the President. At the end of the day, a divide between the French is gaining ground. Macron wanted to ‘unite the French,’ but undoubtedly this was not what he had in mind.

By Antoine Dewaest