After weeks of parliamentary debate, an appeal to 49.3 and the rejection of two motions of censure, the pension reform is finally adopted. However, in many sectors, the opponents of the government’s plan refuse to give up and the mobilizations continue. In schools, refineries or ports, the strike was renewed. What disruptions to expect this Tuesday, March 21? We take stock.
The SNCF plans for Tuesday traffic “similar” to Monday, that is to say “disturbed on certain lines”. In detail, “more than 4 out of five Inoui and Ouigo TGVs” will run, as well as “three out of five day Intercités”, but no night Intercités. On the TER side, forecasts announce the circulation of “two out of three trains on average”.
Concerning the RATP, traffic will be normal on the metro, tram and bus lines as well as on the RER A line. One out of two trains is to be expected on the RER B, two out of three trains for the RER C, three out of five for RER D and three out of four for RER E. On the transiliens side, traffic will be normal on lines H and K. Plan for two out of three trains for lines J, L and U, three out of four trains for lines N and P, and three trains out of five for line R.
“Despite these preventive measures, disruptions and delays are nevertheless to be expected”, announces the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC). Thus, 20% of flights should be canceled from Paris-Orly and Marseille due to the strike movement which is also continuing in the airline sector.
The strike hardens in several French refineries. The largest of them, that of TotalEnergies in Normandy, decided to shut down completely last weekend. The gradual shutdown was to be effective between “Monday evening or Tuesday morning”, according to Eric Sellini, union coordinator. For the first time since the beginning of the social movement, fuel stations were dry on Monday, especially in the south-east of the country.
Strike movement also renewed in French ports. The CGT is calling for a new 72-hour work stoppage that will begin on Tuesday, with a “dead port” day on Wednesday, a week after the last such action. The strikers at the port of Le Havre will follow this call.
The garbage collectors of Paris had renewed their strike, initially, until March 20. In Ivry, the movement has already been extended until Thursday, March 23. The Orléans garbage collectors have also extended the strike to Tuesday, March 21. The mobilization therefore continues in the sector.
The baccalaureate specialty tests, which continue on Tuesday, will once again be disrupted by the strike movement against the pension reform, followed by many teachers and supervisors. On Monday, striking teachers demonstrated their opposition to the reform project in front of their establishment before the start of the first exams for the 2023 baccalaureate. The Ministry of National Education, however, considered that there were “no points of particular concern” regarding the proper conduct of the tests.
