French unions plan day of action over jobs and pay

France's five main union confederations - CGT, CFDT, FO, CFTC and CFE-CGC - have agreed to organise a joint day of action on 4 October against the policies of both the government and the employers.

The unions are calling on all employees, in both the public and private sectors, as well as the unemployed and pensioners to take part in strikes and demonstrations.

The key union demands are full employment, increases in pay and improved rights at work. In particular unions want the withdrawal of the new arrangements which allow employers to dismiss employees in the first two years of their employment without giving a reason (see Labour Research, September 2005).

Such a united call for action, which is also being supported by two other union groups, organising largely in the public services, UNSA and FSU, is rare for France.

Maryse Dumas of the CGT said: "you have to go back 30 years" to find a similar united call for action at the start of the autumn - a key moment in the French political calendar.

There are still some tensions between the confederations, particularly with the CFDT and the Christian CFTC, who often take more moderate positions. They said that, although they support the call for action, they would have preferred a Saturday, so that more people, particularly from small companies could take part.