European Trade Union Committee for Education

French unions representing secondary teachers have reported a massive participation in yesterday’s national strike action against the government reforms. The lack of social dialogue and resources are amongst the main criticisms directed at the Minister of Education since May 2015 when teacher unions started mobilising against the ‘Collège2016’ reform.

This reform imposed by the Ministry without any consultation puts at risk several vital elements in the schools’ organisation without any educational benefits for pupils and teachers therefore demand to be heard and dialogue to be restored with the government whose contempt for the profession has been ongoing for more than a year.

The national strike action also gathered the entire public sector, whose salaries have been frozen since July 2010 and more than 90 demonstrations took place throughout the country. This has actually only been one of several actions in which teachers have participated to make their loud voices heard as they participated in several strikes whether at national or local level in addition to the various actions in schools.

Secondary teachers in France have suffered enough and the future will not be built without them. It is urgent for the Ministry to listen to the teachers’ concern and to provide the supporting conditions required for pupils’ success.

Watch the short demonstrations’ video report from SNES-FSU

Carton Rouge à la ministre dans la rue from Snes Actu on Vimeo.