We're being bombarded with bourgeois propaganda. During the summer, there was an outcry against raising the monthly minimum wage to €1,600 net. Big bosses, politicians and their media watchdogs—who themselves earn €1,000, €2,000 a day or even €100,000 a day as is the case for the CEO of Stellantis—tried to convince us that raising the minimum wage would ruin businesses, cause millions of people to lose their jobs and bring the economy to its knees.
As soon as Barnier was appointed prime minister, he launched a campaign of propaganda about the state's debt: with a 3,200 billion-euro deficit, the country, he claimed, was on the verge of disaster and we are all accused of being spoiled little children. As if there wasn’t a world of difference between billionaires, who are richer than ever, and all those who toil from morning till night and often are unable to make ends meet!
And now there's a new wave of propaganda about the “industrial crisis”. The Paris Motor Show provided the opportunity for an intense brainwashing campaign to make people believe that the car industry is doing very poorly. Renault CEO Luca de Meo claimed that his company was “in survival mode”. Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis, uproariously announced that its operating margin had been halved. Le Figaro even spoke of “Stellantis' descent into hell”.
They're liars. They scream before it hurts. 5.6 billion euros in profit for the first half of 2024, instead of the record of 11 billion for the same period in 2023: is what they call Stellantis' “descent into hell”? Come on! While some automakers produced fewer vehicles, they sold them at much higher prices. Buying a new car costs on average €8,000 to €10,000 more than in 2019. And in fact, profits continue to flow in.
All the lamenting over the uncertain future of electric cars and Chinese competition have two aims. The first is to push workers to resign themselves to the job-cut plans and plant closures that keep adding up. This is all the more important because, in addition to the ongoing cuts among many of their subcontractors and suppliers, automakers are planning to close historic factories, such as Stellantis’s plant in Poissy in the Paris region.
Their second objective is to obtain more subsidies from the French government. Even if the government wants to reduce state spending, the capitalists have no intention of giving up their permanent public handouts. Yes, they are vultures! All these big corporations make billions, but they never have enough.
Automobile subcontractor Valeo has announced the closure of three plants, in Isère, Sarthe and Yvelines, wiping 1,200 jobs off the map. The group doubled its dividend to shareholders and boasted an 11% increase in sales last year. With 184 plants worldwide and more than 100,000 employees, it could easily spread the work across all its plants and not close any.
Michelin is threatening to close its Cholet, Joué-les-Tours and Vannes plants. Airbus has announced 2,500 job cuts. With profits of 3.6 billion euros in 2023 for the former and 4 billion euros for the latter, they could maintain all jobs and salaries, including those of their subcontractors and suppliers, whom they are now forcing out of business.
We’re being told that some car manufacturing will become unnecessary due to electric motors; that fewer foundries will be needed. Let these huge companies offer other jobs to the workers who have worked and worn out their health for them and their shareholders! Let them share out the work among all!
It doesn’t have to be this way. Workers are not doomed to be forever crushed by the laws of profit and big capital. Not allowing ourselves to be intoxicated by the bosses’ propaganda, conveyed by the government and most politicians, is the first step in defending ourselves.
The capitalist class imposes a life of exploitation on us. It throws more and more workers into misery and unemployment in order to secure exorbitant fortunes and privileges for itself. Against this parasitism and irresponsibility towards society as a whole, let's assert our objectives as workers.
The debt was not caused by the workers but by the capitalists: it's up to them to pay! Not one more jobless person in the country, but work for all! To maintain jobs and raise wages, let’s take control of the bosses’ profits and dividends!
Nathalie Arthaud