(en) france, Courant Alternatif CA #231 - Notes on strike workers of PSA Aulnay (Part 3) (fr)

Tuesday, May 21, 7 am, at the gates of the factory, it's the rain that gather the strikers 
to return to work, yet the atmosphere is not the sadness that laugh and that balance 
valves. After the traditional general meeting, the event inside the workshop starts, it is 
dynamic, noisy, and when we leave the comrades of the plant, we do not really see how 
return to normal, it is said work could be done. ---- Nothing is over ... It is obviously 
still too early to draw conclusions from the strike, and it is first the strikers to learn 
all the lessons of their mobilization. Proud to have stood up to Peugeot for four months 
and have returned to the current social issues (and more working issue), allows strikers 
to return without shame but it can not erase the feeling of being missed something and 
finish with a lopsided agreement (see box).

Indeed the agreement signed Friday, May 17th, which cancels the sanctions against the 
workers, is proof that it works and solidarity that the fight always pays. But this 
agreement, however, rule nothing on the bottom, despite painful self satisfaction and CGT 
militants Workers Struggle [1], it is rather a simple step in the ongoing conflict.

Because the direction of PSA did not wait long to regain control, multiplying the 
statements with the announcement of the upcoming closure of Meudon, the transition to a 
single shift in the Aulnay plant from 10 June (and, in fact, the decline in production in 
half), a voluntary departure plan (at least 700) of the Poissy factory to accommodate 
employees' of Aulnay-sous-Bois and finally, with the project implementation arrangements 
competitiveness in 2014, she wants to show who is and must remain the master.

It is fundamental to the patronage of PSA to end within and insubordination caused the 
strike. By offering the strikers to go with a little more money she hopes to get rid of 
the most active and potentially subversive.

But it all starts ...

Because the situation is not totally under control, non-strikers have seen interest to 
mobilize and in turn could claim starting conditions improved, but most of the shots 
coming wrath is the experience accumulated during this struggle that management must fear. 
Links, fraternity meetings and pleasure aroused by four months give legitimacy, expertise 
and desire to strikers pave the way for the coming struggles and not just PSA. What made 
the break the strike in the lives of these workers helped them reach a higher level of 
consciousness.

It is remarkable, at public meetings in Lille and Toulouse [2], which we have contributed, 
how many strikers were aware that their struggle, any individual it is also concerned all 
the exploited and should spread throughout society. This class consciousness, it is 
expressed through the general indiscipline that has spread in the workshops (refusal to 
wear uniforms, football game instead of on strike, the factory opened to external support. 
..) and it's definitely from the common shared that something could go.

This requires that the comrades who have been at the forefront of the fight in that act 
thoughtfully and assumed, and build the tools of their autonomy to be free and be the 
union opposition instruments or politicians interests. It is only from these conditions 
may be able to build this convergence thousand times but never made known to give a 
perspective to all those who suffer, isolated and back to the wall, capitalist 
restructuring. We will then know if the strike of workers Aulnay was the first or the last 
cycle of struggle.

Jean Mouloud, May 24

* Previous articles in Alternating Current 228 and 229

[1] As such, the debate that takes place in the traditional celebration of the said 
organization and brochure analyzing the struggle of the workers of Aulnay are the perfect 
illustration. In presenting his method, that of "militant elites, reinforcing, 
multiplying, eventually embody the strike will" LO defends against all the Bolshevik 
orientation and pass our opinion off what made contradictions of this movement and thus 
its interest (What about the production of automobiles? quid capitalist crisis? Where is 
the strategy of struggle and multiple turnovers union?).

[2] Organized by supportive friends (hello to Bad Kids Toulouse!), The two public 
meetings, which were held in places occupied without right or title (squats what!) 
Insoumise of Lille and CREA Toulouse, led to particularly interesting and friendly exchanges.

Inset

The MoU

Here's what the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 May finally offers to all 
employees covered by the PES

The premium of supra-legal redundancy is increased from 6 months to 12 months. Early 
departures increased from 30 to 36 months. Premium mutation increased from ? 5,000 to ? 
5,000 gross taxable net tax-

For strikers:

Reinstatement of dismissed employees 4. Fictitious reintegration however, they are 
necessarily included in the PES, they benefit from the measures thereof or the possibility 
of upgrading to the RATP, SNCF or ADP, but not in the PSA.

Cancellation dismissal procedures against delegates. The cancellation of all criminal and 
disciplinary proceedings.

An additional lump sum for those who choose to leave the company before 31 May 2013, today 
set at 20,000 euros extra.

Strike days are offset for payment of days of unemployment, the calculation of the 13th 
month bonus, paid vacation days, holidays also days, which greatly reduces the financial 
losses from the strike.

But all these achievements are conditioned to abandonment procedures to individual justice 
(prudhommes) and collective (PES challenge by the CGT).