Initially of January, a strike in opposition to the Employment Safety Plan (PSE) opened on the Grandpuits refinery, which is able to have an effect on 200 jobs at Complete and 500 web site subcontractors, and extra typically, which is able to impression your entire area. On the positioning, the overwhelming majority of individuals employed are males, however behind them are households. And a number of other of their companions or wives have fashioned a strike assist group. With the collective Bread and Roses and Everlasting Revolution we met 4 of them, Adeline, Amélie, Laurie and Bénédicte on the stake put in in entrance of the refinery. For some, surrounded by their kids, they got here to spend Saturday afternoons alongside the strikers.
“Closing the refinery will change the lives of tons of of individuals and whole households”
Amélie testifies to the implications of the announcement of the large Complete: “ With a job loss like this, a complete household is anxious […] We had simply purchased a home within the space, and two weeks later we have been studying PSE. It was an enormous blow, we dedicated over 25 years after which we study that. “In all the homes the announcement had the identical impact, Adeline says:” It put a number of stress on me, not sleeping at night time, having bother consuming. […] He too is burdened, he is by no means at house, he cannot get away with it, it is also sophisticated to handle. »
And but Complete performs accountable employers by not working towards dry layoffs in favor of transfers. Nonetheless, these are removed from being an answer for workers and their households. For Amélie ” mutation shouldn’t be attainable. My eldest son, from a earlier union, has his dad within the area, we’re in shared custody, I can not tear him off like that, I can not settle for a switch like that which might lower the ties. “For Laurie, the scenario is identical and she or he provides:” we’ve not purchased it but, it is a challenge we had this yr, however with the PSE it will not be attainable, as a result of we will not plan for the long run. We’re depending on Complete, on what they need for workers and we can not challenge our future “. Adeline works in chemistry and for her the mutation shouldn’t be attainable both: “That might imply discovering work and relying on the place you might be transferred you do not know if it is going to be a chemical pool.” That is all that comes into play. In the long run it’s a complete private group for the lady as a lot as for the person. »And all say it, it will be an upheaval of their life with none assure behind: “They provide to be transferred elsewhere, however for a way lengthy? One yr, two years, earlier than this refinery continues to be in PSE? That is to shift the issue! […] At one level we aren’t pawns, we’re people. “We see behind these testimonies how a lot the proposed change of Complete is a hypocritical answer, which removed from being a attainable end result for workers is a manner of creating a troublesome selection between maintaining his job or his life and his household steadiness.
Constructing a girls’s group: taking part within the struggle in opposition to Complete
Amélie is on the origin of the creation of the group: ” After we discovered that a strike was coming, throughout December I used to be fascinated about the right way to assist the motion. I wanted to behave my manner, to not stand nonetheless. I contacted one other pal and comrade, she had different contacts with refiner wives, and we put this collectively. “. She repeats it: ” We’re all concerned, it is not only a man who’s on web site, who’s combating. With a job loss like this, a complete household is anxious “. And when the query of the strike arose, she instructed us ” it was apparent and we went 100%. It was inconceivable to do nothing. You’ve to have the ability to reply. We’re all collectively or nothing. “On Adeline’s aspect the concept is identical:” he instructed me we’re going to strike, I mentioned sure, there may be nothing to debate. To not go on strike would imply not supporting not solely our household however even everybody who’s impacted by it. And that isn’t conceivable. The assist is on everybody’s lips and in every thing they do. Laurie says it: ” I assist this strike 100%, even when it should final 16 hours or extra, even when it requires extra presence with the youngsters. You must come on the picket line, come to the GA, present them that they don’t seem to be alone, that they’ve households and youngsters, and that Complete can not determine like that about the way forward for 700 folks and never 150 or 250 as they declare. »She explains:« we take part, we carry again meals for them. I had accidents, I believe it is vital for them to see that they don’t seem to be on their lonesome, and that they’re supported by their households, by their kids. Julian is 14 years previous and the son of refiner Samuel. He too was on the picket line this Saturday afternoon: “ with my sister and my mom we made 100 pancakes and distributed them to the strikers! It all the time lifts your spirits! “And he additionally mentioned it:” I stand in solidarity with my father! […] The entire household is behind him, it goes from us kids, to grandparents, pals, neighbors! »
Bénédicte, nurse, dedicated from the beginning alongside her husband was notably eager to come back along with her kids on the picket line on the basic assembly on Wednesday, January 20: ” I wished to be right here as we speak to indicate my children why their daddy would not go to work, to know why we inform them we will not purchase this or that this month. »
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“Could 68 didn’t occur by itself”
Thus, they’re now main the struggle alongside their putting relations, however they’re additionally main it for his or her kids and for everybody. Bénédicte tells us the place she attracts her energy: ” I wish to give hope to my kids, that they don’t see solely a darkish future. If there is no such thing as a job, there aren’t any kids, the colleges are closing, it’s the village which dies, the rurality. I don’t want that. “. Adeline agrees: “ closing the refinery will change the lives of tons of of individuals and whole households throughout the area. Already there’s a social insecurity in France, there it can explode the factor, simply in Seine-et-Marne employment is already sophisticated however then if we take away the refinery that would be the finish. And all are getting ready for a long-term wrestle, conscious that it is going to be troublesome and that solidarity is their weapon.
For Amélie it begins now: “ when there aren’t any extra strikes and every thing is signed, if they do not get what they need, what can we do? We will not all keep like that in our nook, quite the opposite we now have to trade, speak. Even when we won’t essentially change issues tomorrow, perhaps the day after tomorrow we are going to change them and it’s as we speak that we’re working. »Adeline provides:« we shall be clear, Complete we are going to by no means have the ability to annihilate them, however at instances that is what we must always do, as a result of they don’t have the fitting to have a monopoly on our lives. It is our lives, not theirs. To let go now’s to die slowly ultimately, and that isn’t attainable. After some time you must take the lead and say ‘shit’ to the boss. “Amélie concludes with dedication:” The vital factor can also be to make historical past, by exhibiting that there are issues which can be doable regardless of all of the difficulties, that issues are attainable. Could 68 didn’t occur by itself and there you must go. That is our future, and the long run is that: it’s the revolution. We should transfer now, as we speak we now have no selection. »
