Six rail worker unions write to the minister of labor.

The trade union organizations CGT, CFDT, FO, CFTC, SUD rail, UNSA, and CFE-CGC met at the headquarters of the CGT in Montreuil to discuss the situation after receiving the “letter on method” sent by the labor ministry. In a joint communiqué the unions declared that “the CGT, CFDT, FO, CFTC, UNSA, and CFE-CGC trade union federations have sent a letter to the minister of labor today asking that an initial meeting be organized tomorrow. The object of the meeting will be to spell out the points to be negotiated throughout the talks process and to draw up a detailed calendar.” Whereas in government circles it was stated that “the ball” was “in the trade union’s side of the court,” the new trade union proposition amounts to a smash sending it back to the government’s end of the court. The text also adds that “the trade union federations demand that our special retirement plan and its provisions remain intact.”

The trade union text also underlines the democratic nature of the rail workers’ movement, pointing out that “in any case, the rail workers in their general assemblies will decide on the follow-up to their strike action and the development of the situation.”

In the meantime, the trade union organizations associate themselves with the rank and file strikers by calling for the strike to be continued another 24 hours.