Five unions call strike for 5 November as student blockades resume

The CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU back the students' right to protest and join their demands over wages and public services. The government calls the blockades unlawful.

Student unions will block high schools and universities again this week. The Union étudiante's Sabrine Kharbach called for blockades on Tuesday and Thursday, then a march on 5 November at workers' call. The government offered 15,000 extra study places. Pierre Sourzat denounced them as far short of the 250,000 demanded: "« surtout quand on sait que 10 000 ont été supprimées l'an dernier »".

The offer came after five weeks of mobilisation by students and high schoolers. On 26 October, ministers Philippe Baptiste and Edouard Geffray presented an emergency plan. It replaces Parcoursup, caps seconde classes and reworks timetables. Baptiste put 1 billion euros on the table for building renovation over three years, with 200 million of fresh money from 2027. The unions want a national plan for school buildings and dignified study conditions.

Now the workers join in.

Five unions, the CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU, called a strike for Thursday 5 November across the public and private sectors.

The strike covers wages, public services, employment and industry.

The unions CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and FSU also wrote that they support the right of lycée and university students to mobilize, demonstrate and assemble peacefully, freely and in safety.

« Nous soutenons le droit des lycéen·nes et des étudiant·es à se mobiliser, à manifester et à se réunir pacifiquement, librement et en sécurité », the five unions wrote.

Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste answered with the government's line on 27 October. "Le travail doit reprendre lundi", he said. He told reporters that people have a right to demonstrate, but that the right to blockade does not exist. Against the blockades he set a right to study.

Police banned the Paris route demonstrators filed for Saturday 31 October. The Union syndicale lycéenne and the Union étudiante called for blocking high schools and universities on Tuesday and Thursday. A demonstration still went ahead in Paris that Saturday.