Wearing black armbands, observing moments of silence, and staging symbolic funerals, hospital staff are organizing protests across France this Tuesday, September 8th . Called by a coalition of unions including the CFDT , CGT, FO, Sud, and Unsa, the workers intend to highlight the "silent death" of the public hospital system and denounce the government's "contempt."
Rallies are planned in Bourges, Strasbourg , Toulouse , Clermont-Ferrand, Pontoise, and Réunion . Unions are raising concerns about staff shortages and working conditions exacerbated by the heatwaves. In some facilities poorly equipped to withstand extreme heat, staff have had to use emergency blankets over windows, damp sheets, or tubs of ice to try to cool rooms and other areas.
A power struggle over mutual insurance companies
The inter-union group is also demanding genuine employer contributions to supplementary health insurance and benefits for hospital staff. Initially planned for 2026, the reform has been postponed to January 2027 and could be delayed until September of the same year. Staff representatives therefore fear yet another empty promise, one that will extend beyond the presidential election.
The government is proposing an annual budget of €400 million, representing approximately €28 to €30 per month per employee. Unions consider this amount woefully inadequate and are demanding at least double that amount to ensure coverage comparable to that enjoyed by other civil servants. A new meeting with government ministries is scheduled for Wednesday, while the unions are calling for the necessary funding to be included in the 2027 Social Security budget.
