It is to the sound of megaphones and verses of Hello beautiful that the procession set off on Tuesday October 1 at 2:40 p.m. Departing from the Place du Ralliement, shortly after the interventions of several spokespersons from the various union organizations present (CGT, FSU, Solidaires, among others).
The approximately 500 demonstrators according to the police (1,000 according to the CGT) marched with a number of banners, union flags and signs to the attention of the government. They walked along rue d’Alsace, boulevards du Maréchal-Foch and du Roi-René, before reaching their starting point at 3:30 p.m. via rue Toussaint.
“Social emergency”
This parade followed the call for a strike and demonstration launched by the inter-union of Maine-et-Loire for wages and pensions, public services and the repeal of the pensions law. So many concerns for workers, supported in this procession by several youth and retiree movements.
All this weighs on employee morale. We are here to bring sunshine where there are clouds
punctuates Benjamin Létang, secretary of the CGT Santé Social Action. Before continuing, referring to the Prime Minister speaking simultaneously to the National Assembly: We see that this government is not at all going to put the social question at the forefront, an issue that we want to raise.
Xavier Dupeyroux, general secretary of the CGT departmental union of Maine-et-Loire, for his part, specifies that his union don’t expect anything from this government
while wishing to recall that if we are not heard, we will continue to demonstrate
denouncing a social emergency
.