thousand people lost their job on an average day in France in 1993. This year is expected to be even worse. In many regions industrial and agricultural deserts are being created. But French workers and the unemployed are fighting back. Two important initiatives are now underway and both deserve the full support of the Labour movement in Britain. GEOFF RYAN looks at the campaign for the 35 Hour Week Without Loss of Pay and the March for the Right to Work. (More details of both these campaigns can be obtained from Socialist Outlook) ON APRIL 30 trade unionists from throughout France, as well as a number of other European countries, will meet in Paris to discuss a European wide fight for the 35 hour week without loss of pay.
The following day, May 1, is of course International Workers' Day. It commemorates those who fought in the 19th century for the 8 hour day. A century later the need to co-ordinate struggles to further reduce the working week remains a necessity.
Petition
The Paris forum follows the launching of a petition, signed initially by one thousand trade unionists from all the different union federations.
Today over 50,000 people have signed this appeal, despite the organisers having no apparatus or finances to promote their initiative. They have had to build up a national network of shop stewards, union militants and sympathetic officials to ensure the distribution of the appeal in workplaces and at Arrivée:
a Paris les 2 falais Get 29 mai Le Havre Bore markets, as well as on all major demonstrations Their success so far shows the possibilities that exist in France for a broad movement to cut the working week. They aim to build on this excellent start by bringing together union activists from throughout Europe for a common struggle for the 35 Hour Week With No Loss of Pay.
The forum is organised around four main themes:
The Trade Unions and the 35 Hour Week - with representatives from the different federations. It will look at issues such as: how to win this demand, how it can help build trade union unity and what is the place of this demand in trade union strategy.
The 35 Hour Week as a Response to Unemployment -this will look at how the demand can build bridges between the unemployed and those in work.
The 35 Hour Week in Europe - with speakers from Germany, Spain, Basque country, Italy and others. In Spain a similar petition has already been launched. How can initiatives be developed throughout Europe?
The Mobilisation in France today - How does the fight for the 35 hour week fit into the struggle of young workers against government attempts to Dunkerque arbonne cut their wages? How does this conference relate to the national march against unemployment?
The organisers themselves see no conflict between their initiative and the March for Jobs and will be proposing that the forum does all it can to make the march a massive display of working class unity in the fight against unemployment.
Act Together THE FIRST of five national marches set off from Carmaux in South West France on April 6. Nearly two hunJennes A CharlevilleMézière bimar Mulhouse Montbéliard Marseille tions including miners from the Communist Party-influenced CGT federation and the local Peasants and Small Farmers Confederation.
Miners
The CGT miners decided to walk out of work to see the march off. Retired miners provided refreshments along the 16 kilometre route to Albi, where a civic reception was provided by the Socialist Party mayor.
When the march left Albi - in yet more wind and rain - it is accompanied by striking postal workers. In the small town of Graulhet it was met by Didier, an unemployed worker who had heard about the march on TV and decided to go with it to Paris. On April 9 the march was met by a 750 strong demonstration in Toulouse. sbourg The following day they met with workers from ABG-Semca in Montauban who have been occupying their factory for five days to fight plans for 120 redundancies. Meanwhile the South East leg of the march has set off from Narbonne and Toulon, to join together in Avignon on April 19. The Narbonne march is accompanied by a tractor supplied by the local Peasants Confederation. At the railway station they held a meeting with the CGT branch. They crossed the etang de Thau in boats provided by local fishermen. The marches have received tremendous welcomes in every town they have visited.
Well attended public meetings have taken place every evening and support has been given by all the different union federations, as well as the unemployed and pensioners. Communist or Socialist Party controlled municipalities have given civic receptions.
Most importantly new AC! collectives have been established in all the towns along the route. They are now organising coaches and even trains for when the marches all finally link up together in Paris on the WORLD NEWS May 28-29 in a massive demonstration for the right to work.