A-Infos (en) France, UCL AL #368 - Unionism - Layoff Plan at AIDES: "This conflict stems from an austerity policy" (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

The employers at the AIDES association have unveiled a layoff plan. 
Employees are mobilizing, targeting government austerity measures. 
Interview with Célia, a striker. ---- Where does your anger come from 
today? How did you experience the announcement of the Job Protection 
Plan (PSE), and at what point did you realize the need for collective 
action? ---- The anger stems from a dysfunctional political and labor 
system. Confusion and misinformation reign within AIDES. Even if some 
announcements may have suggested otherwise, the announcement of the PSE 
was not a surprise: suspicious layoffs, office consolidations-everything 
foreshadowed this outcome. Mobilization was hampered by emotional 
reactions. A period of discussion and reassurance was necessary before 
moving to collective action. The redundancy plan will exacerbate 
understaffing and job insecurity, leading to a decline in the quality of 
access to care and rights. This conflict is part of a broader crisis in 
the health and social care sector stemming from austerity policies that 
prioritize the military.

You're not a union member, so why did you still take part in the 
struggle? Why is there so little union membership in the social care sector?

Despite a critical view of unions, they remain a lever for creating 
mobilization. Low union membership is explained by a lack of 
understanding of how unions operate, sometimes perceived as sectarian, 
but also by the emotional exhaustion inherent in the social care sector. 
The State makes the political choice to abandon certain populations; 
social care is a band-aid for these irresponsibilities. Employees are 
often caught up in a logic of "better support" and sometimes even in a 
"savior" role. But imploding the system from within could pave the way 
for something else.

How did the mobilization take shape? Was there a national dynamic?

The mobilization was traditionally organized through the SUD 
Santé-Sociaux union, the Social and Economic Committee, and general 
assemblies. An initial picket line and a day of strike action helped 
establish a balance of power, followed by a second picket line on 
December 4th in Pantin at the end of negotiations. There was a regional 
dynamic, particularly with the strike days of December 16th, 17th, and 
18th, fostering convergence between sectors. At the national level, some 
regions were mobilized, but without a sense of unified momentum. In 
parallel, autonomous groups and an intersectoral mobilization committee 
emerged. This prompted questions about activist strategies, the 
difficulty of scaling up the movement, and a rethinking of how to 
reassure and mobilize colleagues.

How did you experience the local mobilization, and what limitations did 
you draw from it?

The mobilization was invigorating, bringing hope and opportunities for 
connection. The picket line on December 16th was strong, but the 
demonstration itself was weaker, a partial failure. At AIDES, the 
mobilization came late. In the healthcare and social services sector, 
the limitations remain a lack of resources, exhaustion, precarious 
employment, and the cost of mobilization, leaving a bitter taste in the 
mouth regarding the difficulty of achieving mass mobilization.

Interview by Malika (UCL PNE)

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Plan-de-licenciement-a-AIDES-Ce-conflit-decoule-d-une-politique-d-austerite
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