ORIGINAL FRENCH ARTICLE: Mobilisation, le 26 février
by Anonymous
Translated Thursday 18 February 2010, by Henry Crapo
and reviewed by“It is not acceptable that there should be a whole section of the population without the means to stay alive!”
“It is not acceptable that there should be a whole section of the population without the means to stay alive!” – such was the joint declaration of four unemployed workers organizations yesterday as they called for a day of action on February 26, the possible date of a meeting between the main employers organization, the MEDEF, and the trade unions on the question of the period covered by unemployment benefits.
The four unemployed workers organizations are AC!, APEIS, MNCP, and CGT chômeurs. The four organizations repeated their demand for a decent income for all, and an end to pegging benefits to a household’s resources.
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Translator’s explanatory notes:
CGT chômeurs is “the national committee for the struggle and defense of the unemployed.” It is a member of the CGT trade union and was founded in 1978. It is composed of local committees and unions of unemployed workers. The CGT is the only French trade union confederation that has a special structure for unemployed workers.
The MNCP is “the national movement of unemployed and floating workers.” It was founded in 1986 and is composed of forty local associations which operate homes for and offer services to unemployed workers.
APEIS is “the association for jobs, information and solidarity of unemployed and floating workers.” It was founded in 1988 and claimed 25,000 members in 1995. In 1998 APEIS was one of the founding members of ATTAC.
AC! is “act together against unemployment.” It was founded in 1993 by trade unionists, most of whom were members of the Solidaires union of trade unions; the main teachers union, the FSU; and the left wing of the CFDT trade union confederation, as well as association activists, politicians and intellectuals.