“The struggle French people face (during transport strikes) underlines the responsibility that weighs on companies and unions to avoid ending up in these situations,” Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said. “I believe that we must first and foremost reinforce dialogue within the transport sector to avoid strikes.”
But not all supporters of French President Emmanuel Macron agree — and a debate in the lower house could underline cracks within the pro-government coalition.
“When you can’t go home for the holidays to visit your father or mother who you haven’t seen in months, that’s a problem,” Maud Bregeon, a member of the National Assembly for Macron’s Renaissance party, said in a TV interview on Tuesday. “I don’t know if I’d vote in favor of the bill, but I share its philosophy.”
Strikes are also a major concern for French public authorities ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, which will be taking place in Paris and other cities across the country. The Paris transport operator’s top union has already issued a multi-month strike notice which encompasses the Games’ period in a bid to force its management into labor negotiations.
“Everything will be done to avoid any risk of industrial action during (the Games),” Macron said as early as July 2022 in an interview with sporting daily l’Équipe.
