Employees of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) are planning a strike on June 13 to protest against the government’s pay policy. They denounce the non-application of salary increases promised when the French nuclear safety and radiation protection authority (ASNR) was created.
Background to ASN reform
The reform of the ASN, announced in February 2023 at the Élysée Palace, provided for the creation of the Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection (ASNR), scheduled for January 2025. This new entity is the result of the merger between IRSN and ASN, a project designed to improve the fluidity of decision-making in the French nuclear sector. However, promises of permanent pay rises for ASN employees have not been kept, replaced by a simple one-off bonus, which has triggered the anger of the unions.
Reactions and fears of trade unions
The UNSP-FO union, which sees itself as the sole representative of ASN employees, expressed its dissatisfaction with this “betrayal” by the government. They point to an unjustified differentiation between ASN’s public-law employees and IRSN’s private-law employees, the latter having obtained permanent salary increases. This inequality could undermine the effectiveness of the future ASNR, according to the union, by creating internal tensions and weakening the new organization.
Appointment and parliamentary opposition
In response to this situation, the Élysée has proposed Pierre-Marie Abadie, current CEO of the Agence nationale de gestion des déchets radioactifs (Andra), to head the future ASNR. This appointment comes against a backdrop of strong opposition to the reform from unions, experts and associations alike, who fear a disguised privatization and a weakening of France’s nuclear regulatory capabilities. Despite this opposition, the reform was adopted by Parliament last April.
Consequences for employees and the sector
The ASN currently employs around 530 people, while the IRSN has 1,740, some of whom will be joining the French Defense Ministry and the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA). This reorganization raises concerns about the stability and effectiveness of nuclear regulation in France. The lack of a salary revaluation for ASN agents is likely to cause tensions and hinder the fluidity of the new entity.
Faced with what they see as a betrayal, ASN employees are determined to make their voices heard on June 13. Their move highlights the continuing challenges of reform and the need for more constructive dialogue between government and nuclear regulators to ensure the industry’s safety and performance.
