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The day after at least a million people participated in a national strike, French trade unions have called for more demonstrations, on October 2 and October 12, in protest against the government’s pension reform plan that would raise the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62.
While police figures said a million people took to the streets across the country on Thursday, trade unions put the figure at three million, leading Francois Chereque, general secretary of France's main union, the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT), to declare their efforts a success. Millions of people have taken to the streets for two nationwide strikes in the past three weeks.
The protests have continued even though the bill has already been passed by the lower house of parliament and will be examined from October 5 by the upper house, where it is widely expected to pass.
For the government, though, Thursday’s strike suggested that the movement was slowing down. The spokesman of the French government, Luc Chatel, noted that the percentage of public sector employees who joined the Sept. 7 strike was 26 percent, while Thursday’s strike attracted only 21 percent.
Unions try to refine strategy
The unions are hoping that the decision to schedule demonstrations over a weekend (October 2 is a Saturday) will allow them to attract a wider participation.
Meanwhile, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), another major French trade union confederation, has warned that the unions’ position could become more radical. “If the government maintains its intransigence, it is increasingly clear that we will be in full-on, direct opposition,” said CGT Secretary General Bernard Thibault.
In adopting a particularly confrontational tone, the CGT seems to be nodding at more radical unions, such as Force Ouvrière, or Workers' Force. Workers’ Force has been trying to convince the other trade unions that the government will not budge unless the movement of strikes and demonstrations is massive and uncompromising.
While the government has made some concessions for certain workers, it has nevertheless vowed to push ahead with its reform plan.
Speaking at a meeting of his UMP party in the south-western town of Biarritz, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said, "Governing means listening to everyone. Governing means respecting everyone. But governing France also sometimes means being able to say 'no'."
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Comments (6)
more strikes in France on October 2,12
kindly find the article regarding the labour strike in France to take place on October 2 - 12, 2010
French strikes
I seem to recall that in the 1980's the strike was called "le maladie Anglais" by the French. It now seems to have become "le maladie Francais."
Wake up France! You've got an easier working life than anybody else in Europe!
Pension Ages
It is about time both sides acted like adults and started talking to sort this out. People are living longer, it is obvious that they either have to pay more or work longer.
Doing nothing is not an option, unless you wish to destroy the future of you children and grandchildren. This is a ticking time bomb and is too important to your country for all to act in such a childish manner.
Kudos for France
I live in Canada, here people never protest nor demonstrate when the government hits hard on them on social issues. We import Africans, Muslims, Chinese immigrants - they never complain. We pay more for TV signal, mobile phones services than anywhere in the world. Multiculturalism supports suppressive political powers, not the people.
French unions call for more protests over pension reform
better October 5 by the upper house reject this pension reform act
bemuse age 62 is very hard to work and that time their waiting for rest. and out side waiting youth for job
pensions
lucky France, it has been 65 in britain for years now, going up soon to 67. think i'll move to France,
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