France: Undocumented immigrants strike wins support

The prolonged and growing indefinite strikes and occupations of workplaces that have spread all over France by sans papiers to demand the legalisation of their status has alarmed the CGT (General Confederation of Labour), which is handling the dispute.

The CGT, which is closely allied with the French Communist Party (PCF), has greatly undermined the movement by dropping the key demand for mass legalisation, opting instead for case-by-case negotiation with local préfets (administrative police chiefs). This sabotage has taken place as the strike spread to a number of workplaces and has begun to gather momentum and win support from students, workers and anti-racist organisations.

Since April 28, several dozen sans papiers, including children, have been occupying Saint-Paul de Nanterre church near Paris, demanding the legalisation of 62 immigrants.

As the strike was growing, a delegation led by the CGT was received April 21 by Minister of Immigration Brice Hortefeux, who had stressed that the five préfectures (local police administrations) affected by the strike would only consider the workers demands case by case.