France: Unions and workers march against GE plans to cut jobs

W/S French unions gathering at Maison du Peuple to march aganist General Electric, Belfort
M/S CGT Union members
C/U CGT Union members
M/S Sign on man's jacket reading (French): "Support the workers"
M/S CGT member screaming
M/S Leader of La France Insoumise party Jean Luc Melenchon joins rally
W/S Protesters march towards GE power plant *UPSOUND* "No more gifts to the stakeholders"
W/S Protesters marching towards GE power plant
M/S Protesters and workers in strike at GE headquarters
SOT, protester (French): "I am here to support Belfort workers because without Belfort workers, Belfort is going to die."
M/S French President Emmanuel Macron's fake coffin
C/U Macron fake coffin
SOT, Protester (French): "This is the death of the city of Belfort and all the surrounding area. There will be nothing left. We don't have much hope left. So I think we need to fight very hard and we cannot trust in General Electricts commitments. They have never honoured them in the past."
M/S Protesters hold rally *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Worker at GE plant (French): "As a worker here I see it really bad. Two unions which do not represent us - but are part of the inter-union alliance - are going to sign an agreement (with the management) without asking for our opinion. This is a clash and does not make us happy."
W/S Protesters set up fire outside GE headquarters
M/S Protesters set up fire outside GE headquarters
M/S Yellow Vests join the rally outside GE headquarters, Belfort
SCRIPT
Nearly 2,000 people rallied in the French city of Belfort on Saturday, to oppose industrial giant General Electric's plan to cut jobs at the local gas plant, which employs nearly 4,000 people.
Protesters marched under the rain towards GE headquarters, singing slogans and carrying a fake coffin of French President Emmanuel Macron. The leader of La France Insoumise Jean Luc Melenchon was also seen taking part in the protest.
General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union marched separately, in open clash with the different approach adopted by CFE/CGC-Sud unions while negotiating a new agreement with General Electric.
The three unions later reached the firm's industrial plant, where workers have left on strike for the past two weeks.
"I think we need to fight very hard and we cannot trust in GE commitments, which has never honoured them in the past," said a woman participating in the rally.
General Electric's latest cuts are part of a wave of European layoffs, as the industrial giant attempts at reducing losses in its power generation business. In 2015 the company announced 6,500 job cuts across Europe, and two years later it revealed a further 12,000 cuts.