France
The European trade union federations, EPSU and industriAll Europe, have written to the French government to strongly condemn the prosecutions of leaders and activists in the FNME-CGT energy trade union. The federations argue that the legal actions are politically motivated, with a view to suppress trade union opposition to government policy. On 6 September, Sébastien Menesplier, the General Secretary of FNME-CGT will be summoned to the gendarmerie in Montmorency in connection with energy workers’ protests against the recent pension reforms. As EPSU and industriAll Europe argue, these were actions supported by a united front of trade unions and a broad group of other organisations, with representatives of the two federations joining one of the many demonstrations on 1 May in Paris. The letter also expresses grave concerns about the government targeting environmental and human rights groups and introducing legislation that seeks to prevent workplace occupations and that could also allow force to be used to prevent strike pickets.
