EESC Workers' Group President Statement: Sébastien Menesplier, Secretary General of FNME-CGT, called to the police for actions of the trade union against the Pension Reform

Prosecution of Trade Unions are a worrying sign of deterioration of political life. The fundamental role Trade Unions play in social dialogue and in defending working and living conditions of people, must be protected, and the right to strike is a fundamental part of the toolkit when dialogue fails or its ignored. It is therefore worrying to learn that Sébastien Menesplier, CGT general secretary for the Energy and Mines section, has been called to the police on actions taken during the strikes and demonstrations against the pension reform. We must not forget that this reform was passed circumventing the National Assembly and ignoring established social dialogue channels.

We ask the French government to reconsider the path taken, and to return to social dialogue and protect the essential role of Trade Unions in democratic life.