Undocumented workers occupy CGT union hall in Paris

The sans papiers are demanding that the préfecture (police authority) regularize their situation and accuse the CGT of having taken hostage the sans papiers struggle. As one immigrant told the press: The CGT has taken the sans-papier movement hostage. We are taking the union hall hostage. They are also demanding that the CGT take up their case.

Since April 15, thousands of sans papiers have launched strikes and occupations in different industries such as cleaning, construction, retail, security and catering in Ile-de-France, the Paris region. The CGT and the civil rights association Droits Devant have taken a leading role in the strike.

The CGT, which had submitted to the Paris préfecture a file of 900 requests for legalization of sans papier members of the union, has accepted the government insistence that requests be processed case by case.

This flies in the face of the fundamental demand of the sans papiers movement that all undocumented immigrants should be legalised.

Case by case assessment by the authorities means acceptance that the immigrant workers rights and needs are subject to the draconian criteria imposed by the Sarkozy administration and his minister for immigration, Brice Hortefeux. One of these requirements is that the workers should be wanted by employers in jobs where low wages and bad conditions make it difficult to attract employees.

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