Reflecting upon the current strikes, we see that an estimation of 2.5 million people were on strike in January. Nevertheless, the government officials only estimate us to have been 1.1 million, leading to the obligation of discarding our claim that these strikes have been the biggest strike in the last 20 years. I also feel the need to put an accent on the fact that in a survey 70% of French people said that they felt sympathy or supported these strikes. Out of these 70%, we count approximately 50% supporting us, the rest of whom sympathize. We can now safely say that we have a majority of our nation supporting us, and if we are oppressed, more people shall join in due to the widespread feeling of empathy for us.
Additionally, one cannot dismiss the effectiveness of our current strikes, France has numerously said to have been paralysed, something difficult to ignore. Some people even voiced their annoyance towards this paralysis effectively demonstrating our impact. These strikes also lead to the downfall of the previous prime minister, what tells us that something greater cannot be obtained?
The truth is that officials are substantially blind to our impact. They estimated us to be only the previously mentioned 1.1 million, less than half of what the strikers actually were. Furthermore, our president in a recent statement said that he will not budge. Another of his previous statements is “Now when people go on strike, nobody notices.” Therefore, to obtain what we are demanding we must and shall do more.
My scheme is the following; to emphasize strikes up to a point where the whole of France’s electricity and importantly equal resources which depend on us become dysfunctional. Moreover, should last longer than a day for; that is as long as we can survive without outside help. The first problem is that we are not enough and cannot expect to have such an impact. However, I shall recall that we have a substantial amount of the population to back us up and if we can encourage them to join us, then effectively we will be able to provide such a big impact. With some people trying to call our President the French Thatcher, we must quickly show that he will not be able to impose his measures to which we strongly oppose. The second problem, or question is why should we do such a thing, many would argue it will just cause France to be paralysed again and fail to catch the President’s attention. On the contrary, if we manage to mobilize an ample number of people and carry out such measures, we will have proven to the President that we are capable of such, ultimately forcing him to take action if we threaten to do this on numerous occasions.
Many will be swift to refute this proposal, however they should think twice before doing so. They may say that people should negotiate rather than go on strike. This is inspired by our president saying that there is more to be gained by negotiations than in conflict. Nevertheless, there are two flaws to such a proposition. Firstly, will the workers be ready to negotiate when they have already gone a step further, i.e. already started going on strike? Secondly, from previous experience neither negotiation nor the mild strikes have had great impact. Yet again I must remind you that he has said that he is unwilling to budge, this leads us to a conclusion only something big will allow our deeply desired change. Another argument against it is that it enfeebles honest workers without the wish to go on strike. However, I am quick to respond in asking them: would you prefer just one long strike followed by many years with none? Or, would you rather have regularly repeating strikes causing only minute impact?
Anyway I should like to ask you to start warning and recruiting fellow workers and neighbours so that we can start this scheme as soon as possible. I would also like to add that it might be advisable for some of you to start staking up food in case a minor famine results.
As an analogy, we are just stuck in a hole that we have already started digging and the most effective way to get out is to continue digging so that we will be able to come out on the other side, it seems quite unreasonable to try and use a ladder symbolizing the unfruitful negotiations to get us out the quick and easy way. My desire is that after an event similar to a revolution our need for strikes will not be sustained and we will all be able to enjoy life at its fullest. For we should be prepared for such drastic measures allowing us to obtain our demands.
