“We have rarely seen a minister mobilize the teaching profession so much against her”: Amélie Oudéa-Castéra under pressure

Nearly 1,800 teachers demonstrated this Thursday in the streets of Montpellier. – Jean-Michel Mart

The anger of teachers was expressed in the streets on Thursday. A first test for Amélie Oudéa-Castéra who remains strongly contested.

More than 20% of teachers were on strike Thursday, from Paris to Occitanie, to alert the government to the deterioration of their working conditions and demand salary increases, according to figures from the ministry of National Education.

"A warning to the government", which "remains deaf" to the warnings "on daily life, suffering at work as well as the lack of recognition, notably salary", had announced the FSU-SNUipp.

"Disconnect"

According to figures communicated at midday by the ministry, the rate of strikers was 20.11% in schools, 29.51% in colleges, 8.27% in high schools. ;rsquo;general and technological education and 12.05% in vocational high schools.

Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of Snes-FSU, assured on franceinfo that "47% of middle and high school staff" were on strike."More than one in two professors in colleges where anger is very strong due to the reform of knowledge shocks", she underlined.

Teachers judge in particular that the plan to establish level groups in French and mathematics in 6th and 5th grades at the next school year is unrealistic, due to lack of sufficient resources, and educationally questionable.

"Overcrowded classes, teachers not replaced"

"These are announcements that are completely disconnected from our daily lives, overcrowded classes, teachers not replaced", deplored Sophie Vénétitay, who also believes that the Minister of National Education, mired in controversies, is "completely disqualified from dealing with these substantive issues".

This mobilization for"defending public schools" was also a first social test for Amélie Oudéa-Castera, after her controversial declarations.

Other initiatives to follow ?

"We have rarely seen a minister mobilize the teaching profession so much against her", underlined, Thursday, Christophe Bex , LFI deputy in La Dépêche.

And maybe this is just the beginning. According to Marie Cecile Perillat, co-secretary of Snes FSU 31, "other initiatives will be taken" by the teaching world.

After the teachers and tobacconists, the nurses

The tobacconists also mobilized on Thursday, across France like farmers and teachers, to denounce the new rise in tobacco prices on February 1 and point out, in particular, unfair competition from Spain via a action carried out near the border, at the Boulou toll. Liberal nurses will mobilize throughout the year. their turn this Friday, by carrying out snail operations, particularly in the Montpellier and Nîmes sector, to request, among other things, an increase in the price of their medical procedures.