the essential
700 demonstrators marched in Albi to defend public services, despite political uncertainty and social tensions. A mobilization falling short of the hopes of the inter-union.
There was a traffic jam this Thursday, December 5, on Place du Vigan between Christmas market walkers and public service strikers who came to demonstrate. The fact remains that very quickly, we realize that it is not the crowd of big days for this parade which brought together 600 or 700 people maximum.
If the movement has been followed in education, this is less the case in other sectors. With a question that frequently arises among the demonstrators: what impact can this social movement have, at a time when France no longer has a government?
“Keep putting the pressure on”
“We know that this changes the situation,” recognizes Bérangère Basset of Solidaires. “But we are fighting a policy which, for years, has been destroying the public service. Whoever the new Prime Minister is, that will change nothing. This is why we must continue to put pressure, against this development, against the National gathering.”
Little by little, the parade begins. Benoît Foucambert, FSU, stood on the platform of a van, accompanied by the CGT and two guitarists, to get the crowd moving. “The rate of strikers in education is high. We want to make positive demands. Since Covid, it has been a real disruption to the public service.” He adds: “The movement will intensify. We are thinking of industry, rail and of course the civil service which will return to the streets. We want to offer another model and not this world that we want. impose.”
Let's go for a few kilometers of walking, the flags of the CGT, CFDT, Solidaires and FSU flying in the air. We sing, we motivate ourselves, in a cool temperature. Michel is an old CGT activist. “What is pleasing is that there are young people today, not just retirees. We find teachers, nurses from the hospital. The next generation is there.”
The chant 'Motivé' resonates in chorus among the demonstrators. A man holds a sign reading “Long live the dictatorship of the proletariat”. The parade is good-natured. But everyone promised to return to the streets, whatever the new government.
France
