France

In France, negotiations in the non-profit health, social and care services sector (BASSMS) have been suspended after the employers’ organisation AXESS walked away from talks on the future collective agreement. The employers are demanding firm and long-term state funding guarantees before continuing discussions, especially regarding salaries. The CFDT Santé-Sociaux criticised the move, warning that it undermines social dialogue and breaches the jointly agreed negotiation timeline. While recognising the sector’s financial strain, the union insists that funding demands must be based on negotiated

In response to the worsening situation in public hospitals, the FO-SPS federation has filed a national strike notice from 7 May to 30 June covering all staff. The union points to closures of emergency services, restructuring of facilities, and ongoing budget cuts, while social dialogue has stalled. FO warns of serious staffing issues over the summer and says the government’s latest measures will only worsen the crisis. This action adds to growing unrest in the sector. On 1 April, five major unions—CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FO, and SUD—organised a nationwide strike in the health and care sectors

CGT, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC have announced a national mobilisation for 13 May in response to the government’s failure to address workers’ concerns over pay, job security and the future of public services. Despite the strong signals sent by the strike action and demonstrations in December 2024, the latest proposals do not go far enough to ensure decent working conditions and proper funding. Unions are particularly concerned about plans for the 2026 budget, which could result in job losses, a continued freeze on salary indexation, and the weakening of essential public service missions

France’s health and social care unions launched a united mobilisation on 1 April to protest the worsening crisis in the sector. The unions— CFDT Santé Sociaux , CFE-CGC Santé Social, CFTC Santé Sociaux, CGT Action Sociale, CGT Santé Privée , FO Action Sociale, FO Santé Privée, and SUD Santé Sociaux—warned of a deteriorating situation in hospitals, social work, home care, disability support, and other key services. They warned of increasing budget cuts, leaving many institutions underfunded and overstretched. Negotiations on wage increases remain stalled in several collective agreements, while

A week after their initial protest, Ardennes firefighters, mobilised by the CGT union , have intensified their strike over staffing concerns. Despite a meeting with management on Monday, the union reports no progress on operational regulations, citing insufficient proposals to address the lack of personnel. While new hires were announced, the CGT union explains that they will not increase the overall staffing or budget of the fire service. Instead, they only maintain the current workforce, failing to address the shortage that the union is protesting against. This situation reflects a broader

Workers in Toulouse’s local administration, including municipal and metropolitan services, have intensified their mobilisation against austerity policies that have led to understaffing, budget cuts, and deteriorating working conditions. The CGT and SUD unions have called for a strike and demonstration on 4 February in response to sweeping reductions in operational budgets and job cuts. The protest follows months of action by library workers, who have been mobilising since December against measures that unions say are dismantling public services. The introduction of PROXIMA, a restructuring

French unions are preparing for another nationwide strike on 4 February 2025, following their massive mobilisation on 5 December 2024. The action, called by the inter-union coalition (CFTC, CGT, FO, FSU, STC, SUD) , highlights growing concerns over privatisation, precarious work, and low wages in the wake of the so-called "Full Employment" law. Since its implementation, the law has accelerated the outsourcing of public services and increased workloads. Workers at France Travail face mounting pressure, with the registration of 1.5 million additional people, rising unemployment, and growing

French unions representing public service workers, including CGT, CFDT, UNSA, FSU, Solidaires, CFE-CGC, and FA-FP , have called for a national day of strikes and protests on 5 December 2024. This mobilisation responds to unresolved grievances despite recent discussions with Public Service Minister Guillaume Kasbarian. Although unions successfully opposed the planned abolition of public service categories C, B, and A under the so-called "Guerini" bill, other critical demands remain unmet. These include the repeal of the three-day waiting period for sick leave, reversing cuts to sick leave

The French unions CGT , FO , SUD, and UNSA are organizing a national strike on 29 October 2024 to protest against the government's underfunding of the healthcare and social services sectors. This action comes as the French government announces plans to cut €40 billion in spending, including significant reductions to healthcare funding. Unions argue that these austerity measures will deepen the crisis in an already strained healthcare system, where staff shortages and limited resources have left hospitals struggling to provide adequate care. With further cuts looming, unions warn that patients

Negotiations in the community pharmacy sector had stalled for almost ten months, with 16 wage brackets falling below the legal minimum since January. The FO federation of pharmacy professions demanded a 6% wage point increase and warned of possible mobilization if employers continued to avoid negotiation. The seventh session for the 2024 mandatory annual negotiations (NAO) took place on September 16, following earlier attempts that yielded no progress. FO expressed concerns about the lack of employer dialogue, citing risks to both workers and the future of the sector. Many of the sector’s 134

On August 28, 2024, the CGT's National Confederal Committee issued a call for collective action, urging unions and workers to continue mobilizing for social justice. The call comes after several recent victories, including pay raises for nearly one million workers in healthcare, social services, and the public sector, as well as early retirement benefits secured by railway workers. As workers face declining purchasing power and stagnant wages, the CGT emphasizes the need for continued protests. Key demands include the repeal of pension reforms, salary increases, better public services. The

The CGT Public Services Federation has announced a strike from July 1 to September 30, 2024. This action involves employees and agents across various public sectors, including central, local and regional government. The strike is a response to several grievances, prominently the government's policies perceived as favouring the wealthy while undermining social unity. The dissolution of the National Assembly by President Emmanuel Macron on June 9, 2024, and the subsequent legislative elections, have intensified public discontent, culminating in significant support for the far-right. Public