As during the four previous days of action against the pension reform, a parade bringing together all the unions will tread the cobblestones of the capital.
However, there is no need to look for Philippe Martinez, Laurent Berger or any other leader of an employee organization.
They will all be 700 km away, in Albi.
This decision, announced on February 11, surprised more than one observer of social movements.
It is indeed rare for the heads of power stations to leave Paris.
However, this choice has been carefully considered and answers many questions.
Overview.
LIVE - Pensions: fifth day of strikes and demonstrations, the first processions set off
Since the beginning of the processions, the unions have continued to highlight the very strong mobilizations in the medium-sized towns of France.
Regularly, more than 200 processions ranging from several hundred to several tens of thousands of people beat the pavement.
Figures which surprised the unions themselves and which they use extensively to point out “
that even the workers, the second lines during the Covid, do not want this reform
”, according to Laurent Berger.
Choosing a medium-sized city is therefore a way "to
support the strong anchoring of this
movement
throughout the territory, in small towns as well as in the largest ones
", thus noted the intersyndicale in its press release to announce its choice.
Holidays, accessibility and good relations
Another point of attention: holidays.
This week, two of the three school zones are affected.
A period naturally not conducive to protest and parades.
The rare remaining region, Occitania was also the one with the most rallying points.
Putting it at the top of the list.
Importantly, the place chosen had to be quickly accessible to allow union leaders and demonstrators to get there in large numbers.
This is the case of Albi, located less than an hour from Toulouse and its airport.
Finally, the municipality had to be able to boast of having substantial mobilization figures during the previous days and that there was a good understanding between the local union activists.
Finally a short-list of three municipalities was drawn up, including Mende, Tarbes and Albi.
It was the latter that hit the jackpot.
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A logistical challenge for local authorities.
The unions expect 30,000 people for this town of 50,000 inhabitants.
A record crowd, knowing that January 31 had already been exceptional with 20,000 demonstrators according to the unions and 10,000 according to the prefecture.
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