The Dijon theater is the 40th to be symbolically occupied in France. The demonstrators in particular demand certain social guarantees.
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The intermittents of the show do it again. 11 days after meeting at Place de la Liberation in Dijon, the actors of the world of culture are gathering again, but this time in front of the city’s Grand Theater. A general assembly was organized on Monday from 2:00 p.m. by the Coordination of Interluttants et Précaires (CIP) Bourgogne and the French Union of Artists-Performers (SFA) Burgundy CGT Show.
On March 4, 250 to 300 people demonstrated, notably demanding the reopening of cultural venues. The same day, intermittents decided to occupy the Odeon theater in Paris. Since then, the movement has spread to all territories. “We decided to follow the national movement to come and occupy this place. It went rather well”, describes Agnès Billard, member of the CIP de Bourgogne.
This Monday, 40 cultural establishments are occupied, including the Grand Théâtre de Dijon. The mobilization of the day concerns the actors of the cultural sector, but also those of the events organization, the hotel industry and all the employees on short-term contracts, precarious students, temporary workers or seasonal workers.
Request for social guarantees
If the general assembly calls, as on March 4, for a reopening of places of culture, it mainly intends to obtain guarantees on the social level. With a priority request: to repeal the unemployment insurance reform which is due to come into force on July 1st. “These are above all social demands which are extended to all the precarious. The reopening of places of culture is a demand, but it is not our main demand”, says Agnès Billard.
Deprived of stage, intermittents occupy the theater to guarantee their rights.
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© Fabienne Acosta
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The movement is also calling for the extension of unemployment insurance rights for performing artists and technicians and audiovisual artists beyond August 31, 2021. And this, at least one year after the resumption of cultural activity.
Themes that were discussed throughout this general assembly through testimonies and speeches. Thibault Daquin also spoke on Monday afternoon. This Dijon singer said that the culture would resist, but said he feared that it would eventually become free, resulting in heavy losses and collateral damage.
“We must consider the work of the arts as a real job. We need to have a form of security, with a salary to live like anyone else. If we had a real salary, there would be no problem. as for the respect of confinement. The problem is that we have a very precarious status, so when there is a crisis, we drink “.
François Rebsamen present
Coming to follow the movement, François Rebsamen affirmed his support for the demonstrators present. “It is a real subject for our society to see the world of culture at a standstill and without perspective, explains the mayor of Dijon. We want culture to reopen, that they have a date, that they can rework, recreate, and that they can continue to make a living from their work “.
A night occupation
As an extension of this movement, the Grand Théâtre de Dijon will also be occupied every night. From this evening, 20 people will sleep on the spot. “There are already a lot of registrants. We are going to settle down, and be in touch with the other places occupied with video conferences and zoom meetings. We will try to ensure that there is a speak once a day to express themselves on social issues “, details Agnès Billard.
We do not fear the duration of the movement. We are in the unknown but we are motivated.
The movement has no end date yet. “We will take turns, explains the production manager. In the end, we no longer fear the moment when the demands will be heard and when we will be given answers “.
In the region, the theater of the city of Besançon has also been occupied by intermittent entertainment for several days.
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