The CST intends to make “the voice of the workers” heard in the negotiations between the elected Corsicans and the State on a possible institutional evolution. At the dawn of the trial, the nationalist union claims a seat at the discussion table and wants to play the role of “safeguard”
“On May 12 we took a stand to defend another economic and social vision of Corsica. Several months have passed and the situation has not changed. We are here to reiterate this request. ‘”Jand Brignole sets the scene.
Surrounded by activists and leaders of the STC, this Thursday morning in the Chamber of Trade Unions, in Bastia, the general secretary of the nationalist union is not spinning around you. At the dawn of a turbulent social return and newly opened negotiations between the elected islanders and the government on a possible institutional evolution of the island towards a status of autonomy, the CST does not intend to remain in the background.
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“In 2002, on the occasion of the Matignon agreements, which had ratified the previous statute, the social component was deliberately set asideconsider Jean Brignole. Twenty years later, Corsica, the poorest region of France, still faces rampant precariousness with 75,000 people living below the poverty line and continuing violations of social and labor law. There can be no political solution without social support “. The STC wants to be heard “the voice of the workers” which, in his opinion, should not be excluded from this process.
A (very) tense social context
The first workers’ union organization in Corsica, with 7,500 members, is however embittered at not being at the discussion table, at a time when they are particularly interested in the economic and social model of the island. “The unions all have their place in these negotiations, and ours in particularsupports the leader of the STC. However, to date, the “Monsieur Corse” of the government has not deigned to meet us to discuss our vision of what the institutional evolution could be. We are a force of proposals and it is regrettable that our elected officials, in the majority as well as in the territorial opposition, have not noticed this.
Difficulty in accessing housing, monopolistic situations, “work decoration”, acquisition of wealth by a minority, inflation, tense pension reform … the organization describes a scarlet social context.
All the more worrying, he believes, that the island’s employers seem unwilling to make an effort. “The refusal of two employers’ organizations to ratify a real agreement for an annual travel allowance of 300 euros was a slap in the face for the workersthunders Jean Brignole. Therefore, it is difficult to see how the exceptional purchasing power bonus or wage increases could be employed in these companies. It is therefore imperative to impose social compensation for any aid to businesses.
“Put your foot through the door”
In the eyes of the trade union, institutional developments should make it possible to legislate in various sectors permitting “social progress”. For example, the establishment of a Corsican minimum growth wage (SMIC), or rather the “French” SMIC, is more able to cope, according to the STC, with the cost of living on the island.
Another key demand: the introduction of fuel price regulation with, initially, a significant drop, followed by a freeze on prices at the pump. “We now benefit from fuel discounts, but this measure is limited in time.underlines Jean Brignole. We need something permanent. “
For the union, institutional development should not be limited to giving Corsica the possibility to legislate. A new statute will also have to define the contours of taking into account the territorial representativeness of trade unions. As a local trade union, the JTS does not have access to some bodies that require national representation, such as social security bodies or the board of directors of the Agricultural Social Mutuality (MSA). “The next statute should allow us to no longer apply the French common lawsays the union. We must take this new agreement to adapt the national standard to the local reality and take into account our specificity.
For the JTS, in any case, the message is clear: a modification of the statutes must be synonymous, above all, with new social achievements. The union intends to play the role of protection e “go through the door” oppose possible “derivations”. “We cannot conceive of autonomy if it does not guarantee social progresswarns Jean Brignole. There would be no advantage in giving more power to the economic world if the social situation had not improved. “
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