INFO EUROPE 1 – Legislative elections 2024: threats of action and strikes at the RATP if the RN wins an absolute majority

According to information from Europe 1, the minority union Solidaires RATP is considering actions, strikes and demonstrations if the National Rally wins an absolute majority in the second round of the legislative elections on July 7.

In a joint press release, issued a few days ago, the CGT, the second largest representative organisation at the RATP, and Solidaires, called for a “Popular Front against the far right’s access to power” and for “urgent social justice measures”.

The two unions had encouraged their members to participate in the major anti-RN demonstration on Saturday June 15. At the national level, the CGT supports the New Popular Front, in particular to block the party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella.

“The RN divides the population and workers”

Contacted by Europe 1, François-Xavier Arnouls, co-secretary of Solidaires RATP, believes that “the RN is the enemy of workers (…) We are not ruling out any action following the results of the second round, demonstrations, perhaps strikes… We are calling for support for the New Popular Front without giving them a blank cheque. In any case, if an RN government were to be put in place, it must be ungovernable (sic). It will be ungovernable, because the RN divides the population and the workers.”

If the CGT and Solidaires RATP have chosen to block the National Rally, this is not the case for FO-Groupe RATP, nor for UNSA Groupe RATP, respectively the first and third unions of the railway company. These two organizations call on citizens to vote. But they claim their neutrality. And refuse to pronounce for this or that political bloc.