France: a higher stage?

France: Trade union leaders resist but pressure from below is piling up for militant action

[excerpt]

Through their general assemblies, workers in key sectors of the economy are pressing for all-out strike action to begin on the 12^th. This is the case in the railways and road transport, in the electrical industry, in the chemical industry (including Total oil industry workers), in ports and docks, in the television and radio sector, and in several branches of the public services, including teachers. Furthermore, school students and universities are starting to move into action. In Rodez thousands of school students took to the streets in solidarity with the struggle against the pension reform, but also to express their hostility to “Sarkozism”. A similar movement broke out in Toulouse. The port of Marseille is already paralysed by strike action....