the mobilization does not weaken in Toulouse
The mobilization against the pension reform project in Toulouse was important this Tuesday, January 31. The demonstrators would be even more numerous than during the first demonstration on January 19.
The mobilization does not weaken. They would be nearly 80,000 according to the CGT and 34,000 the police, as reported The Dispatch, to have taken part in the second demonstration against the pension reform in Toulouse. For the record, the main trade union organizations called for a new day of mobilization this Tuesday, January 31. According to them, the first demonstration had been a real “success”.
Between 36,000 and 50,000 people, depending on the respective prefecture and CGT, were took to the streets last Thursday, January 19. This second day is therefore also proving to be a success in the Pink City. Enough to prosper the unions. ” We are even more than the 19. It’s a new success, ”says Cédric Caubère, general secretary of the CGT Haute-Garonne.
A manifestation that has capacities of new people
If most of the demonstrators were already present during the first mobilization, it was not the case for all, especially Agnès. “I was not in Toulouse on January 19 and therefore could not participate,” explains the young woman. Even though Agnès works abroad, protesting against this reform is important to her. “Retirement is for everyone. We all need to get together,” she says.
Like many, the young woman already knows that she will participate in the next demonstrations against the reform in Toulouse. But for some, especially employees, the question still arises. “I will see if I mobilize or not during the next demonstrations”, indicates Sandrine. The primary school teacher, present during the first mobilization, specifies: “Losing a day’s salary each time is not easy”.
The mobilization against the reform will continue
In any case, this second day of mobilization is not even over yet the unions are already preparing for the future. “We are not going to have three days of demonstrations. We need a real strike movement”, underlines Cédric Caubère who announces “highlights in the weeks to come”. “But it will not be imposed demonstrations,” he warns.
Dominique, happy to see many people mobilizing against the reform project, would however prefer that the unions go further now. The retiree is indeed pleading for an indefinite general strike. “Doing one for 24 hours every three weeks is ineffective. Emmanuel Macron will not change his mind like this, ”said Dominique who came specially from the Lot to manifest in Toulouse on Tuesday.
A fear that the project will pass despite the mobilization
The pensioner is not the only one to fear that the government will not go back on his project. “Emmanuel Macron has ignored social movements since he came to power,” laments Maxime, in business creation. Agnes a little more hope. “Maybe in the short term we will have a victory over this reform. But not in the long term. We are going to retire later and later, ”she anticipates.
It is precisely the opposite that the opponents of this reform project are asking for. “We want that the legal retirement age is lowered to 60 “, requires Lilas who works in the cultural field. Sandrine agrees. “We didn’t work until we were 67. We need a more egalitarian pension system and a better sharing of work, ”wishes the primary school teacher.
A mobilization not only against the project
For its part, the CGT obviously wants the withdrawal of the reform project, but also the increase in wages. “They are not enough today. If we increase them, this will also allow us to participate more in the effort. Must also equal pay for men and women and putting an end to the exemption from social security contributions “, details the secretary general Cédric Caubère.
The unions are not the only ones not to have taken to the streets only against the pension reform project on Tuesday. “I’m not here just for that, but also to denounce the fed up in hospitals and schools,” says Dominique. This is also the case with Lilas. “Nothing is going well in the public service. There is too much of everything today,” the young woman finished.