French Researchers’ Unions Threaten to Strike Indefinitely From Monday  2^nd of February. (January 29, 2009)

French President Nicholas Sarkozy

Despite the threat of an indefinite strike by the unions representing France's researchers, President Nicholas Sarkozy's government says it plans to vigorously pursue implementing  the science and higher education reforms that are the basis of this battle.

In essence the reforms are geared to foster a research environment similar to the Anglo-American system engendering university autonomy and competitive funding rather than state control and lifetime employment for scientists. The French unions and allied movements such as Sauvons la Recherche (SLR) and and Sauvons l'Université are fiercely opposed.

President Sarkozy claims the system is "infantilizing and paralysing," and continued: "The forces of conservatism and immobilism have always triumphed, [now] that has to stop."

ScienceInsider reports: "the National Center for Scientific Research will essentially become a funding agency instead of carrying out research of its own, and he [Sarkozy] announced an 18-member panel to come up with a new National Research and Innovation Strategy. Sarkozy threatened that promised budget increases for university funding will go through only if the reforms are accepted," and reports that SLR spokesperson Alain Trautmann said the speech was full of "lies and insults" and had created "shame and anger" among scientists.

It concludes with the following provocative excerpts from Mr Sarkozy's speech.

I don't see at all how a system of weak universities, led by a finicky central government, could be an efficient weapon in the battle for intelligence. On the contrary, it's a system that infantilizes and paralyzes creativity and innovation. That's why we gave the universities autonomy …

No other country has produced so many institutes, agencies, groups and other microscopic organizations that dilute means and responsibilities, pull every which way, and waste time and money ...

Is science just a question of financial means and jobs? How then do we explain that with science spending higher than in Great Britain, and about 15% more researchers than our English friends, France is well behind in its scientific production? Somebody better explain that to me! More researchers, fewer publications, and excuse me, I don't want to be unpleasant, with a comparable budget, a French researcher publishes 30% to 50% less than a British one in some sectors …

Sometimes I hear people say: We have to have a pause in the reforms. I'd like to reply: Tired already? Really, two years of reforms, that should bearable! …

Really, for higher education, for research and innovation, 2009 will be the year of action and reforms.