USA, France

There were demonstrations and action around the country on 20 and 21 June as first energy workers took action in protest at the planned privatisation of EDF and GDF and then public sector workers joined with their private sector colleagues in a joint protest over a range of issues including the failure to make progress in pay negotiations.

Prime minister Dominique de Villepin chose to announce further plans for privatisation and the creation of a “modern” state rather than respond to union demands for a proper social dialogue. Privatisation of EDF, the motorways and Paris airport are all on the agenda but not negotiations with the unions. Following the national demonstration on 4 October the CGT federation is now calling for two days of action on 9 and 10 November. This will again involve both private and public sectors with demands for pay increases and pay negotiations involving public service unions. [Read more at > FO->http

The energy company EDF has announced that it is implementing a policy of not filling all new vacancies when workers retire or leave the company. Only one job in three (or four depending on the job) will be filled over the next two years. The unions believe this is an early reflection of the company's new, more profit-oriented approach following its switch from being a nationalised company to a share-based, although still majority state-owned organisation. [Read more at > FNME-CGT->http://www.fnme-cgt.fr/documentation/art.phtml?id=625] [And at > FNEM-FO->http://www.fnem-fo.org/article.php?sid

Unions in the public sector have called a day of action - strikes and demonstrations - on 2 February in protest at the public services minister's refusal to get involved in proper negotiations over pay. With inflation expected to reach 1.8% this year, the government has so far offered only a 0.5% pay increase from 1 July. It refuses to acknowledge the fall in purchasing power of public service workers since 1999 and also refuses to discuss a reform of the public sector pay scale. [Read more at > CGT->http://www.ugff.cgt.fr/ftp/communiques/cgt_fonction_publique/19_01_06.rtf] [And at > FO->http