A-Infos (en) France, Alternative Libertaire #221 - Graphic industry: the rotating pressure (fr) [machine translation]

In 1974 the report Lecat said that "France has no vocation graphics." This was the 
beginning of the employers' offensive against a sector workers very combative and highly 
structured. In the coming weeks of hard battles or sign new major defeats, a reversal in 
favor of the workers. ---- There was a time not so long ago when every publisher had its 
industrial unit, which gave considerable force to employees, as markets were made 
captives. Gradually publishers have completely disengaged to competition between 
providers. All sectors are thus affected by a decrease in commercial rates that lead our 
industry bosses to pay employees the final grade. Meanwhile publishers' profits swell 
without it benefits employees editorials seats ... That's capture by the editors of the 
wealth produced throughout the chain, journalist zinio that destabilizes the entire 
profession.

Unemployed in daily press!

Social plans which succeed since 1976 were used to pay off the massive destruction of 
jobs, more related to a dizzying modernization as lower volumes. The daily press has gone 
through the period of early retirement with structural socially negotiated well with 
keeping up retirement compensation close to the salary. For the first time, real 
unemployment is increasing with the disappearance of France-Soir and La Tribune and the 
restructuring of the printing of the World. A component "young", endorsed by the 
Federation Filpac-CGT union but rejected by the majority Paris (SGLCE), which still 
provides three years of training paid undermines the management of employment by the early 
departure of older. Very weak numerically, the sector is mobilized even if the wages for 
example, employee-es undergo a real stall.

In the distribution of the press, Presstalis (ex-NMPP) and its subsidiaries are confronted 
more sharply to a drastic reduction of jobs without social support. Thousand jobs could be 
lost in 2500 and up to 20 000 jobs would be affected cascade (disappearance of small 
private publishers distribution custodians province, drivers ...). Here, the challenge for 
employers is twofold since the workload did nothing missing on the one hand they try to 
switch to complete the work subcontracted to companies in social status off (and here the 
workers pay the price agreements successive dévitalisaient more each time NMPP) on the 
other hand, publishers want to achieve the liberalization of distribution and at the end 
of mutualisation of costs, ideological issue etched in stone Sarkozy of "States General of 
the press." Yet even the big publishers may bitterly regret when it comes to pay for each 
distribution! The particularity of Presstalis is to be a "cooperative" managed by the 
publishers themselves. It is they who set the rates and services quality requirements. As 
users, they always require more then that as managers they block rates below actual costs 
and then be surprised of being "in the red"! The back wall of the workers concerned are 
their all! Actions initiated strikes and blockades securities will increase. The state, 
which financially supports the distribution on behalf of pluralism must finally take 
responsibility for the reconstruction of a distribution ensuring the presence of all 
newspaper titles (especially information policy) and ensuring social status of employee-es.

The work destroyed

The defeat of the working branch printing (brochures, magazines, books ...) is visible in 
the collective agreement. For the first time this year, the branch that was so long envied 
end up with the first four levels of the pay scale below the minimum wage! Heroic battles 
repeatedly failed to prevent the systematic destruction of corporate collusion with 
government, publishers and leaders cynical by sizeable companies and the formation of 
giant Quebecor group in which shareholders n ' have not made a penny investment to pump up 
profits exhaustion material while playing lower prices to capture key accounts.

New poor

Thousands of unemployed have more time to read printed works to China with a surcharge for 
maximum ecological repatriation! Fifty percent books, 90% of BD, 70% of magazines are 
printed outside the country, posing as a democratic problem, because the day we no longer 
have the necessary industrial newspaper and book ... The height is reached with the French 
Games, state enterprise profits shining, which closed its printing Montreuil to go to 
Canada's print tickets (but what Montebourg!).

Routing subscribers more resistant because the securities must yet be filed with the Poste 
in France. But publishers are trying to break down the companies that maintain a status 
inherited from previous decades. Perfectly coordinated strike despite fierce competition 
from their bosses, September 20, workers BHR and France-routing (in 77) have sent a clear 
signal to publishers to protect their jobs and their status. By January, the stakes will 
mobilize employee-es around strengthening their collective agreement. Tens of thousands of 
jobs today are concerned with absolute precariousness and miserable wages: press delivery, 
leaflet distribution, most kiosquiers ... Latest graphic links in the chain, they are also 
the most abused and the most weakly unionized explaining one another ...

Imagining the Future

Defend jobs and workers in our statutes professions should not stop to think about the 
major social issues. For example, is it really necessary to print flyers? Or, if the 
defense of political pluralism and cultural expansion (books and journals philosophical, 
historical, poetic ...) may justify public funding to immunize private initiative alone 
the ability to select which can be edited, it is acceptable for large industrial and 
financial groups that control the daily press receive aid? Is it acceptable that aid is 
absorbed by the peoples journals and press TV?

Jean-Yves Lesage (AL 93)
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