Remembrance - Matignon Agreement

The Matignon agreements On May 3, 1936, the Popular Front coalition won the legislative elections. On June 6, for the first time, a Socialist, Léon Blum, was sworn in as President of the Council. An advocate of a demand-led recovery inspired by the American New Deal, Léon Blum was confronted with an unprecedented social movement, with a total of almost three million strikers. The strikes, with their occupation of premises, were a celebration: impromptu balls, card games, theater, and even a tour by Tino Rossi, who came to sing in front of the Galeries Lafayette salesgirls. "Philosopher Simone Weil wrote: "At last, we can breathe! The bosses panic and believe it's time for a revolution. So they begged Léon Blum to organize a meeting with the CGT to work out a new social contract. Discussions began at 3pm on June 7 at the Hôtel de Matignon. Discussions were tense but courteous. Duchemin, president of the CGPF, forerunner of Medef, expressed his shame at being presented with a figure for the lowest wages. At the time, there was no minimum wage. At midnight 40, the agreements were signed, marking an incredible social advance: collective agreements, election of staff delegates, a ban on all penalties for strike action and a 7-15% pay rise. The other two main demands, the 40-hour week and two weeks' paid vacation, were voted through by MPs on June 11 and 12. Strikes slowly subsided, and the river of workers returned to its banks. The Matignon Accords became a benchmark and a great myth for the Left. For Léon Blum, they were to mark the beginning of a new era, one of permanent discussion between capital and labor instead of regular confrontation. But this was not to be. In spite of everything," he wrote, "I had brought a kind of embellishment to difficult lives.

Ce souvenir contient un feuillet illustré incluant les timbres ci-dessus : Souvenir philatélique : carte et feuillet mise en page Bruno Ghiringhelli d’après photos : «Couverture du carnet de billets populaires de congé annuel.» © Roger-Viollet. Timbres-poste (taille-douce) : création et gravure Nicolas Bical : « Léon Blum Homme politique français », © Roger-Viollet, « Congés payés », © Hélène Roger-Viollet & Jean Fischer / Roger-Viollet.