Ei-iE

Responding to a call to strike issued by a broad alliance of unions, on 18 September French education workers mobilised in massive numbers against the budget proposals presented by the François Bayrou government, which has since resigned following the National Assembly’s vote of no confidence. The workers denounced the proposed measures as “brutal, unfair, and ineffective, when solutions could be found among the top earners, such as corporations”.

Clear opposition to brutal fiscal measures

In its press release dated 29 August, the alliance comprising eight French trade union centres – CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA, Solidaires and FSU – described the various budget measures put forward as “unprecedentedly brutal”.

The unions also insisted that they refused “to see workers, job seekers, young people and pensioners footing the bill once again, be it financially or through heightened casualisation”.

Trade union demands

The unions are therefore demanding:

• Budget resources in line with the missions of public services and policies;
• Measures to combat precarity and strengthen solidarity;
• Investment in a just green transition and the reindustrialisation of France, along with measures against dismissals;
• Tax justice, with the introduction of measures that tax large estates and very high incomes, restrict dividend payments, and place strict conditions on aid granted to businesses;
• High-level social protection and the scrapping of retirement at age 64.

SNES-FSU: the start of sustained collective action

For the national union of secondary school teachers, the SNES-FSU, “the day of action on 18 September is clearly the starting point for sustained collective action to secure a clear break with the budgetary policies that have prevailed until now.” The union added that it was committed to “pursuing the mobilisation by laying the groundwork for a successful strike lasting several days as soon as possible”.

Announcing that 45% of staff in secondary schools had taken part in the strike, the union added that the high level of participation “bears witness to the deep anger felt about the conditions under which the new school year has begun, the downgrading of salaries and the weakening of the state education system, due in particular to the policies pursued since 2017”.

SNUipp-FSU: for a budget in line with social, fiscal, and climate justice

For the SNUipp-FSU union of primary school staff, “the appointment of Sébastien Lecornu reflects the President’s resolve to press ahead with his unfair austerity plan and shows that no change can be expected in his policy”.

The union called on everyone to join the mobilisations and to strike in massive numbers on 18 September “to demand a budget that meets social, fiscal, and climate justice requirements”.

It also cited five reasons for striking: to say no to austerity – the 2026 budget includes €43.8 billion in cuts, while the wealthiest individuals and multinationals continue to benefit from €308 billion in tax breaks since 2017; to defend employees’ wages and rights; to demand more resources for schools; to defend inclusive education and education support staff, and to remind people that other solutions exist – such as the elimination of certain tax breaks (€17 to €19 billion) or the introduction of a wealth tax (€10 to €15 billion).

UNSA Education: Enough of making workers pay the price!

Reiterating that “the budget measures presented are unacceptable and unprecedentedly brutal” and that “the government has once again chosen to make the workers, the vulnerable, the pensioners, and the sick foot the bill”, UNSA Education also called on its members to join the strike action on 18 September and warned of “the situation in the country, which is sinking into a deep social and democratic crisis”.

CFDT: social demands must finally be taken into account

“Their first experience of the new academic year is that of budgetary constraints, and it shows,” said Catherine Nave-Bekhti, General Secretary of the CFDT-affiliated Education, Training and Public Research Federation.

Marylise Léon, General Secretary of the CFDT, explained that “the decision to take collective action is not taken lightly. By setting the 18th as the date, we want to give exasperated workers an opportunity to express themselves and send a clear message: the world of work does not want to foot the bill alone.”

Trade unions satisfied but on guard

The union alliance welcomed the massive mobilisation on 18 September, which it described as evidence of “the deep social anger at austerity policies”.

The unions are now demanding that the proposed budget and unjust reforms be scrapped and that “measures be adopted to promote tax justice, social protection, the green transition and the revaluing of work”.

They announced that if the new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, does not respond to their demands by 24 September, they will meet to decide very quickly on renewed strike action and demonstrations.

European and international trade union solidarity

Expressing its solidarity with teachers striking against austerity in France, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) – Education International’s European regional organisation – insisted that education workers in France are denouncing “the deepening teacher shortage, the deterioration of working conditions, and the lack of support for inclusive schools”.

It pointed out that “the strike is part of a nationwide mobilisation against the government’s proposed 2026 budget, which plans €43.8 billion in cuts. Teachers and other workers reject these austerity measures, which threaten public services and weaken the education system.”

The director of the ETUCE, Jelmer Evers, added: “The ETUCE and its members reject austerity. We call on governments across Europe to reverse cuts, invest in education, and value teachers. Only by respecting and empowering the profession can societies ensure strong, inclusive, and democratic education systems.”

In line with its Go Public! Fund Education campaign, Education International calls on France’s public authorities to abandon the austerity budget, to fully fund quality public education and the teaching profession.