219 837,3 €

Call for a European fund in support of the French strikers.

We workers living in France are calling on our European neighbours for help. For the past three months we have been fighting relentlessly against a government that is trying to bludgeon us with an unfair pension reform.

The situation is not acceptable, for two reasons.

The pension reform is socially unjust: those most affected by its negative effects are those who work in the most arduous jobs and have shorter careers. Women are more affected. The lives of tens of millions of people will be affected by this reform

Macron's and the government's project has nothing to do with the balance of the pension system but aims to meet the expectations of the financial markets by showing that it is capable of imposing these reforms, and also to promote the establishment of a system of retirement by capitalization that would favor the richest.

In fact, there are other solutions to balance the pension system, for example by imposing equal pay for men and women, by taxing super profits, or by increasing taxes on large fortunes.

But if our lives are affected, we have the right to a democratic debate. Unfortunately, the government refused this debate, and forced the law through without a vote in the National Assembly. In order to silence any challenge to its overreach, it is violently repressing the press and demonstrations. Hundreds of people have been arrested for no reason, dozens have been injured, and two are in a coma.

The situation is similar in other European countries.

• The drive to privatise and dismantle public services is strong in all EU countries, and the focus is on profit rather than on the welfare of citizens.
• Democratic systems of representation are severely damaged, with growing distrust of corrupt systems and individuals, and the fact that intermediaries are ignored.
• The usual strategy of the most powerful is to divide the peoples of Europe in order to rule - creating competition to undermine social rights as much as possible, but also, increasingly, to criminalize social protest.

In the face of this strategy, we can and must stand united. French strikers are showing great courage, defending our rights and democratic expression, standing up to the onslaught of the ruling classes. But they have lost many days' wages since the beginning of the mobilisation. That is why today we call on the other people of Europe to help. If the French people get help today and win their battle, they will be able to help other people later on to win theirs.

This strike fund is therefore open to any European citizen or resident wishing to support the struggle of the French strikers.