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French unions say pension protests will bring country to a halt
“I’m calling workers, citizens and retirees of this country to come out massively and demonstrate,” Laurent Berger, the head of the CFDT union, said Monday on France Inter radio. “The president of the republic cannot remain tone deaf,” Bloomberg reported.
Today will be the sixth large-scale protest day against Macron’s legislation, which would raise the retirement age to 64 from 62. Recent polls suggest a majority of French people oppose the plan despite some measures to mitigate the impact on women with children and those who started their work life early.
On January 31, more than 1.2 million people demonstrated against the overhaul, according to French authorities. Unions say they aim to exceed that number on Tuesday.
So far, Macron’s government has shown no sign of backing down, saying the reform is needed to keep public finances sound while funding other priorities such as the green transition.
Some cracks may be starting to appear in the unity the biggest unions have shown in the repeated protests. The CGT union is calling for strikes to go on indefinitely in public transportation, something CFDT union head Berger, usually described as more moderate, said he would oppose.
Here’s what to expect for Tuesday: Disruptions in air traffic, with Air France saying it would operate 8 out of 10 short- and medium-haul flights. The French civil aviation authority called for airlines to cancel 20% to 30% of flights due to a strike by air controllers.
Strikes at national train operator SNCF, which may last for more than one day, will mean that only 1-in-5 high-speed trains will run on average.
Eurostar and Thalys rail services that link Paris, London, Brussels and Amsterdam will cut a third of journeys.
Trucks drivers have said they’d join the movement, hitting deliveries.
Walkouts that started this weekend and reduced the output of nuclear reactors are set to continue.
Teachers will also strike, closing some schools.
The pension legislation is being reviewed by the Senate through March 12. The government’s goal is for the changes to come into effect in September.