In the most important central in France, the CGT and FO demand, as in five other EDF nuclear sites, an increase of 5 %.
by
“We will not let go as long as we will not have our 5 % increase for 2022 and 2023.” The unionists of the EDF nuclear power plant in Gravelines (North) – the largest in France with 5,400 megawattheures (MWH) of production capacities -, know that they will rarely have such an opportunity to negotiate an increase in remuneration for inflation. In front of 120 employees gathered at the entrance to the power station, Friday October 14, for the second day of strike, the representatives of FO and the CGT explained to their troops how the mobilization of the next few days would be decisive when, more will start, more Early than expected, salary negotiations within the company.
similar movements take place in several nuclear power plants, notably on those of Cruas (Ardèche), Belleville-sur-Loire ( Dear), from Bugey (Ain), from Tricastin (Drôme), from Cattenom (Moselle), with similar claims on purchasing power, in order to complete the 3.6 % increases envisaged over two years within the framework of Branch negotiations of electric and gas industries.
“It stretches, it moves in other sites”, promises, microphone in fist, Samuel Norel, representative FO, speaking in front of the strikers. In the ranks of trade unionists, mainly FO and CGT, predominates the feeling that the balance of power is particularly favorable to them. First of all because EDF is already struggling, in an unprecedented way, to respond to the demand for energy in France due to the cessation of a large number of reactors for maintenance. Then because the war in Ukraine made the question of energy an extremely sensitive subject for the government, especially since the strike movement started in fuel deposits and refineries, complicating the fuel supplies.
a powerful negotiation weapon
Any new reduction in the production capacities of EDF is therefore particularly complicated to face, and very expensive, for the company and the government.
The trade unionists have a powerful negotiation weapon and they intend to use it. “There has already been a drop in production load on tranche 1 [of Gravelines] for twenty-four hours,” said Nicolas Service, the secretary of the CGT, to the applause of the strikers. Instead of producing 900 MWh, it was blocked at 300 MWh. A strategy followed in other power plants where movements have started. The CGT believes that at the national level twelve sections have seen their production reduced because of strikes. “In maintenance, we will also multiply the actions to slow down activities,” adds Mr. DESSENENCE, with the idea of distributing the load of strikes on a maximum of employees in order to be able, if necessary, to hold more long.
You have 54.48% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.