More than two months of conflict. Protests across France gathering three million people, blockades in universities and high schools, and on April 10th, within an hour, Jacques Chirac and Dominique de Villepin, by announcing the replacement of the First Employment Contract, ended this conflict. Following the analysis by Nice-Première on April 10th, the editorial team decided to give the floor to any Nice politicians who wish to speak. After Dominique Boy-Mottard, Patrick Allemand, and Jean-Christophe Picard, it is Bruno Dellasudda’s turn, an Alternative city councilor, and Robert Injey, a Communist city councilor.
Nice-Première: Do you see the amendment of Article 8 of the Equal Opportunities Law as a victory for the public?
Bruno Dellasudda, Alternative city councilor: It is the victory of a social movement that is vigorous, united, and characterized by the self-organization of youth and a promising convergence between the educated youth and the working world. Not since May 68 have we witnessed such convergence. Through this movement rejecting liberalism and the inequalities it breeds, it is also a continuation of the revolt of the working-class neighborhoods and suburbs of November 2005, and a follow-up to the “left’s no” in the referendum of May 29, 2005.
NP: Is replacing this article with “a scheme to support the professional integration of struggling youth” the right solution?
BD: We will need to take a closer look at the exact content of such a scheme. But there is every reason to be wary: what can be expected from a discredited and exhausted power, which dared to propose and tried to impose the CPE and has accumulated, under the guise of “reforms” that are nothing but counter-reforms, the blows struck against the world of work, youth, and men and women from immigration backgrounds? We need an alternative economic and social policy, breaking with liberal dogmas, to eradicate unemployment among the young and the not-so-young.
NP: Is an open debate without prejudice between the government, social partners, and parliamentarians of all sides on “securing career paths, precarity, and the integration of youth into employment” really possible or is it just a beautiful utopia?
BD: It’s possible, but it all depends on the concrete content placed behind the term “securing career paths.” From this perspective, the crucial issue is the financing of such a scheme. It will therefore be necessary to build a political-social balance of power to force business owners to pay for such a scheme: it should not be up to employees to foot the bill.
NP: To conclude, if I say “CPE” you respond?
BD: Rejection of liberalism, crisis of regime, complete disconnect between society and its political representation.
Statement from the PCF 06 transmitted by Robert Injey, city councilor:
“After weeks of arrogance and stubbornness, the government has just yielded to the demands of the youth, employees, union and student organizations. The CPE is abandoned. This is a great popular victory. It results from the exceptional strength of the movement, united among high school students, university students, and employees, and the vast majority of our people. This victory vindicates those who have mobilized in recent weeks on the streets, in high schools and universities, in businesses, and neighborhoods.”
The French Communist Party demands that all legal actions initiated against those who have fought against the CPE be immediately dropped. At the heart of all liberal logics, the CPE was the tool and symbol of the desire to precarize the entire world of work, break the labor code, and instate insecurity for all within French society. Like the victory of May 29, the victory that the popular movement has just achieved demonstrates the demand to break away from this project. In this light, the measures announced by the government and the presidents of the UMP group in the National Assembly and the Senate do not address these issues in the slightest. Other provisions of the so-called “Equal Opportunities Law” remain intact: apprenticeships at age 14, night work from age 15, etc. The CNE, a scheme inspired by the same logic as the CPE for companies with fewer than 20 employees, remains in force.
The French Communist Party calls on everyone who has mobilized to maintain a high level of vigilance in anticipation of the discussions announced by the government with social partners, to address the issues of youth employment and precarity.”
