Rennes: why the Music Festival and the Grande Braderie could be turned upside down

While political news is shaking France and demonstrations are coming one after the other in rapid succession in Rennes, two festive events of the Breton capital could see their organization turned upside down.

The SUD Territorial Collectivities of Ille-et-Vilaine (SUD CT 35) union section has in fact announced, in a press release dated Friday June 14, 2024 addressed to news Rennes“maintain its strike notice of April 19 [d’une durée indéterminée, Ndlr] with actions before and during the legislative elections.

Thus, “if none strong commitment is not taken locally”, agents from the city, the metropolis, the CCAS (Communal Social Action Center) and the school fund will mobilize during the Music Festival, Friday June 21 and during the Rennes Big Sale, Wednesday June 26.

Asked about the form that these mobilizations could take, Stéphane Morandeau, secretary of the SUD CT 35 union section, explains that reflections are underway, but that “nothing is ruled out”.

Months of rumblings

Since the end of 2023, a wind of anger blows among the territorial agents of Rennes metropolis. They first mobilized to obtain a bonus and an increase in their compensation plan.

Then, the insecurity felt by agents working in the city’s political districts (QPV) led them to demonstrate in front of the Hôtel de Rennes Métropole in May. Faced with the responses of elected officials, deemed insufficient, the SUD union and the CGT blocked Olympic flame trucks on Saturday June 1.

An “inadmissible” action for the City, “especially since negotiations are underway, in which all the union organizations are participating, with the exception of the one which blocked the Municipal Technical Center,” the municipality then commented.

A encounter was organized on Monday June 3 between those involved in the action and the City. This meeting did not result in any agreement, according to the union. Requested by the editorial staff, the City has not yet responded to our requests at the time of publishing the article.

“Strong signals” expected

But now, the European elections have come and gone and the National Rally came out on top in the vote. Event which did not fail to make SUD CT 35 react:

Faced with the political instability that the country is currently experiencing, the mayor and president of Rennes must send strong signals to her 7,000 agents.

In its press release, the union section “clearly” states its opposition to the far right and asks Nathalie Appéré to “show the exemplary example of a left close to its people before the legislative elections.

“SUD is constantly mobilizing colleagues on the ground against the extreme right, but nothing is won for these legislative elections, the locals tell us of the local disgust at having only had crumbs,” continues the union, citing the example of an agent taking only one meal a day and an agent without housing.

The union is therefore demanding, among other things, a revaluation of low wages “before the elections and before 2027”, as well as a subjection of 80 euros for agents carrying out their missions in the QPV.

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