October 15, 2026 | Révolution Permanente

Once again, young people have taken the initiative in launching a social movement. Trade unions must support the October 17 mobilization and put forward a plan to defeat Macron and his austerity policies. We are republishing an open letter signed by numerous trade union activists from across France.

We are republishing below an open letter originally published in Politis and signed by numerous trade union activists throughout the country.

For the past two weeks, high school students have reignited the class struggle across the country. Their demands are simple but far-reaching: they concern their conditions of education, the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. school day, selective admission policies, and the future awaiting young people — a future marked by wars and poverty.

At the blockades, it is our children, nephews, and nieces who are mobilizing, reminding us that it is possible to fight back with extraordinary energy.

The government's response since the beginning of the mobilization has been straightforward: brutal repression, which has left hundreds of teenagers maimed, injured, or traumatized in an attempt to intimidate an entire generation.

We have seen this scenario unfold before. Macron's governments have responded in the same way to every movement that threatens their anti-worker agenda, currently embodied in the austerity budget now being prepared.

Coming Together in Struggle

Because we share the demands of high school students, the first signs of convergence between their movement and the labor movement have already emerged.

This has happened, of course, through education workers, who are on the front lines defending their students, as at the Paul Éluard school in Saint-Denis. But it has also taken the form of solidarity initiatives by refinery workers, metalworkers, healthcare workers, and trade unionists from various sectors in Le Havre, Paris, and numerous other cities across the country on October 6.

Yet the response from almost all trade union leaderships is completely out of step with what the situation demands. Last week, they called for an intersectoral mobilization on November 5, effectively sending a signal that they were abandoning young people.

This position is unacceptable. It recalls some of the worst decisions made by trade union leaderships in recent years, such as during the Yellow Vests movement, which was deprived of support from our organizations at its most decisive moment.

We refuse to leave high school students to fight alone.

As worker activists, trade unionists, and elected workplace representatives in our companies and workplaces, we refuse to leave high school students isolated.

With October 17 just days away, as widespread anger over fuel prices brings people together, we are convinced that this movement can win and change the balance of forces in the country. This would also be an essential lever for weakening the far right.

We therefore call on our organizations to take a clear stand in support of young people and to call for a nationwide mobilization alongside them on October 17 and beyond, in order to organize a confrontation with the government.

As in May 1968, workers must respond to the call of young people and begin mobilizing through their own methods of struggle.

This open letter has been signed by more than 300 trade unionists.

Initial Signatories

  • Melina Abel — CGT Pellegrin, Bordeaux University Hospital (33).

  • Hélène Able — CGT activist, Home Hospitalization Service (HAD), AP-HP (75).

  • Jude Acali — CGT activist, social services sector.

  • Helen Adler — School support staff, public secondary school (75).

  • Suzanne Akbas — SUD-Rail, Newrest Wagons-Lits, an SNCF subcontractor (92).

  • Marcel Ali — SUD-Rail, SNCF (75).

  • Malcolm Ali Fils — CGT Educ’action, National Education (77).

  • Clément Allochon — UD-Rail, SNCF, Châtillon maintenance center (92).

  • Rajaa Aloussi — SNES 93 activist, National Education (93).

  • Alexis Antonioli — CGT activist, TotalEnergies Normandy refinery, oil industry (76).

  • Samir Aouam — CGT, AP-HP.

  • Annick Armede — CGT union representative, Tenon Hospital (75).

  • Félix Arnaud-Goddet — FSU-SNUipp activist.

  • Arthur Arroua Vignon — CGT, AP-HP (92).

  • Clémence Artieres — CFDT board member, Hérault Logement, representing Asseco CFDT; Montpellier University Hospital (34).

  • Lucylle Atlante — CGT Educ’action.

  • Anthony Auguste — Elected SUD-Rail representative, SNCF (93).

  • Christopher Avenel — CGT activist, Siemens Gamesa (76).

  • Franck Aversenq — SNASUB-FSU, Toulouse Jean Jaurès University (31).

  • Marie-Pierre Ayaïs — SUD, socially responsible banking sector.

  • Eva Azz — CGT, education sector (31).

The full list of signatories is available here.

Source: Révolution Permanente, October 15, 2026. Originally published in Politis.