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News > France

France: Unions Call for May 1st Demonstration

  • Philippe Martinez, Secretary General of the CGT, in Franceinfo broadcasting studies. March 2020

    Philippe Martinez, Secretary General of the CGT, in Franceinfo broadcasting studies. March 2020 | Photo: Twitter/@GalliardHelene

Published 28 April 2020
Opinion

French unions announced they would demand worker protection amid the resumption of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

French Union organizations convoked members to celebrate Workers Day, despite the current COVID-19 pandemic. The groups stated they would demonstrate through social media to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures. 

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The General Confederation of Labour (CGT), the United Federation of Trade Unions (FSU), the Union Syndicale Solidaires (USS), the National Union of Students of France (UNEF), the Union Nationale Lycéenne (UNL) and other unions emitted the communication.

According to the union organizations’ statement, they will acknowledge workers who remain in labor despite the pandemic and keep their national economies active. They called up members to use #1MaiCGT hashtag and "More than even, may 1rst" to bring attention to current workers' situation during the Covid-19 worldwide outbreak. Those who join manifestations could place posters, signs, and banners in balconies and housing facades. 

"Even confined, let's all demonstrate on May 1st with signs, banners, or by invading social networks (...), and let's give this day a real collective strength!"


French unions announced they would demand worker protection amid the resumption of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. "To sacrifice workers’ health it is not admissible,” the communication said.

 Organizations also advocate for workers’ rights, especially those who lost their days off, paid leaves because of employers’ needs and economic emergencies due to the virus. According to the communication, given the current context, many workers complied with 60 hours of working time and infractions during their working from home and salary irregularities. 

"On May 1st we will be present, we will be decisive and in solidarity, we will not pay for the crisis generated by the political choices of a deadly capitalist system," unions expressed.

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