French trade unions against government’s pension reform
2023.01.11 09:20
French trade unions against government’s pension reform
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – On Wednesday, opposition parties and unions in France said they would fight hard to stop a plan to make people work longer before getting a pension, which is very unpopular.
In response, the government of President Emmanuel Macron stated that it would stick to its plan and would not be intimidated by a nationwide call for strikes and protests on January 19.
If the reform that was announced on Tuesday is approved by parliament, French workers will have to continue working until they are 64 years old before they can retire. To receive a full pension, they will also need to work longer hours.
Laurent Berger, the moderate CFDT union’s leader, stated to France Inter radio, “We will fight so that this unfair reform is rolled back.”
The success of this first day of strikes, protests, and other actions will have a significant impact.
France has had protests and attempts to reform its pension system, which is one of the most generous and expensive in Europe, for decades.
That worked in 1995, when the most disruptive social protests since May 1968 saw millions of people take to the streets. However, despite protests, numerous additional pension reforms have been implemented since.
The hardline CGT union’s Philippe Martinez expressed optimism that unions could mobilize more protesters than in 1995.
He stated to BFM TV, “If the workers so decide, France will be brought to a standstill.”
Several workers declared their opposition to the reform in the streets of Paris.
Francesca Lemolt, who works in the accounts department and is 57 years old, stated, “I started working when I was 18 and I’m tired.” When there are so many young people looking for work, I don’t get why people should have to work longer hours.
However, the government stated that it would maintain its position.
Olivier Veran, a spokesperson for the government, stated, “I’m not afraid,” adding that the government was only attempting to balance the pension system’s accounts.
As many as 80% of voters, according to opinion polls, oppose the reform, but how many of them are prepared to strike or take to the streets is unknown.
At a rally on Saturday, few people showed up to support the anti-government yellow vest movement, which has been mostly dormant since violent street protests in 2018 and 2019.
In any case, the left-wing Nupes coalition in parliament, which urged workers to protest on Jan. 19, will support unions.
But what the conservative Les Republicains do will be much more important to the government, which lost its absolute majority in the lower house of parliament last year.
They said on Wednesday that they would get enough votes to pass the reform and that they liked a lot of it, but they would wait to see the specifics.
Before it goes to parliament, the proposal will be officially adopted by the government at a cabinet meeting on January 23. It hopes that the changes will take effect in September.
The retirement age will be raised by three months per year starting in September under its plan, reaching the goal of 64 in 2030.
To receive a full pension, one must have worked 43 years since 2027, eight years earlier than was planned in previous reforms.
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