Seven in ten teachers to strike

PARIS mairie is leading a list of authorities that will not put in place minimum service measures for tomorrow’s teachers’ strike.

Mayor Bertrand Delanoë said it was “unrealistic to organise the care of 87,300 children in 48-hours” which involved mobilising 6,365 qualified staff.

In a statement the authority said it expected 65% of teachers to take part in the strike, well above the 25% level that legally obliges a commune to put measures in place to look after children.

It said that three unions in Paris whose members are on lists to provide minimum service measures will also be on strike on the same day.

Minimum service in schools was brought in by the Sarkozy government to allow parents to work during a teachers’ strike however since its introduction to primary schools in May last year, several authorities, run by left-wing administrations, have claimed it is impossible to organise.

Toulouse, Strasbourg and Montpellier have also said they cannot apply it, along with 18 communes in the Aude, 34 around Versailles and 82 in Créteil.

Prefects in Toulouse, the Charente, the Aude, the Yvelines and Paris are already taking legal action against the authorities.

Cities with centre-right administrations such as Bordeaux, Nice, Toulon and Marseille will have minimum service measures in place.

Teachers’ unions are striking against job losses, lycée reforms and what they claim are “deteriorating working conditions”.

The CGT union says the 2009 budget includes a total of 13,500 job losses; 6,000 in primary school and 7,500 in secondary.

They are also protesting against job losses in the special teaching needs sector.

Around seven in ten teachers are expected to take part.

Collèges and lycées will be less affected as fewer teachers are expected to take part and also school heads have the authority to organise minimum service measures.