In France, the economic situation continues to worry. While public finances are in the red, business failures and social plans are increasing, particularly in the industrial sector. The CGT, one of the main French unions, organized a demonstration on Wednesday January 22 in front of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance to demand emergency measures.
Gathered on January 22 in front of the Ministry of the Economy, in the Bercy district, in Paristhere are several hundred activists from all over the country who responded to the call of the CGT. The red chasubles and proudly waving flags bear the names of Auchan, Arcelor, Fonderies de Bretagne, Michelin, Vencorex and many others. A card of France companies laying off workers and factories closing.
From the podium, the observation of Sophie Binet, the general secretary of the unionis without appeal: “ We are here to force the government and the employers to come out of denial and look at the situation head on. There is no reindustrialization. All experts share the CGT's observation that we are at the start of a tsunami of deindustrialization. »
Illustration near Grenoble, where the chemist Arkema has just announced this week more than 150 job cuts, while the 450 employees of their main supplier Vencorex have been fighting for months to save their company in receivership.
« Vencorex is not even dead yet, Arkema has already started to launch its social plandeplores Séverine Dejoux, chemist technician and elected CGT of Vencorex. In the chemical industry, it's like that. All companies are linked to each other, and when one falls, well, it falls in a chain behind it. »
It ensures that the survival of Vencorex and Arkema is, however, a question of sovereignty. “ We produce salt, which we sell to Arkema. From our salt, zirconium sponges are produced for cooling nuclear reactors in France, fuel for the Ariane rocket and fuel for French defense missiles. », she lists.
-« When we met the Minister ofIndustrycontinues the young trade unionist, the only thing he was able to tell us was “we helped get you a severance package”. But we don't want it. We didn't come to see the Minister of Redundancy Bonuses, we came to see the Minister of Industry. » The political response did not satisfy those first concerned.
The CGT is therefore calling for nationalizations and a moratorium on layoffs. Two concepts that do not really appear in the Prime Minister's vocabulary François Bayrou. The political instability of recent months has not made things easier for Sophie Binet. “Abroad, with China and the United States in the lead, there is no hesitation in nationalizing, protecting its industrial flagships, and implementing massive investment plans. », Says the general secretary of the trade union movement.
The situation risks getting even worse. Heard the same day by the National Assembly, the president of ArcelorMittal France warned that “all European steelmaking sites » risk closure in 2025 « if nothing is done to protect European steel », particularly from Chinese competition.
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