The parliamentary maneuver ignited a firestorm. Friday morning, the National Assembly adopted a motion to reject the proposed law regarding work on May 1st. For supporters of the text, already approved by the Senate, the objective is clear: accelerate the legislative process to aim for implementation by May 1st, 2026. However, from a union perspective, both the method and the substance have sparked an immediate and harsh reaction.
Sophie Binet, the general secretary of CGT, condemned it as a “stab in the back” and called on the government to “respect social democracy.” Marylise Léon, head of CFDT, described it on France Inter as a “catastrophic signal.” She deemed the vote “disrespectful” towards those who were considered “essential workers” during Covid, and whom today would also have to work on this highly symbolic day. She also contested the argument of voluntarism, believing that in reality, the power dynamics in the company would render this guarantee ineffective.
Force Ouvrière also expressed opposition, emphasizing that May 1st is a “historic and symbolic day for the trade union movement and workers.” The union also pointed out that the eight major unions had already opposed this law in an inter-union letter dated March 3. In other words, the text is moving forward without union support, and even against a rare united front on this issue.
Minister of Labor tries to ease tensions
Jean-Pierre Farandou attempted to calm the situation. He stated that he understands the desire of union organizations to preserve this symbol and assures that he has heard the concerns expressed about the affected sectors. He promises to “personally” exclude supermarkets and hypermarkets, asserting that the text does not in any way signal the end of May 1st in the country. The content of the application decree, according to this version, must be discussed with social partners. However, for the unions, the damage is already done: the chosen procedure feeds the idea of a forced passage.
The criticism goes beyond the union field. Sacha Houlié, a former Macron supporter now with Place Publique, criticized a “anti-parliamentary maneuver” by the central bloc to avoid a substantive debate. He believes that the discussion would have uncovered the “errors” of a text deemed untargeted, potentially affecting 1.4 million employees, without legal urgency and lacking both union and French or European support.
Carole Delga firmly opposes the text
Similar tones from Carole Delga. The PS president of the Occitanie Region believes that extending work on May 1st normalizes working on this day for millions of employees and opens the door to a breach against a collective right. She also argues that artisans can already work on this day and that the measure actually responds to the expectations of major bakery chains and food retailers.
In this climate of distrust and after this explosive sequence, a meeting is now scheduled for Monday evening with the Minister of Labor, according to the CGT.
