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Latest update: 26/10/2010
- France - Nicolas Sarkozy - strike - unions
Violent protests have ‘weakened unions’ in retirement battle
As the French government gets closer to signing a law that will raise the retirement age in France from 60 to 62, a leading French labour expert says violent clashes between youths and police have undermined the unions’ position.
French unions have been forced onto the back foot after clashes between a small hard core of violent protesters and police, according to a leading French labour expert.
The violence this week, amid huge country-wide strikes, blockades and demonstrations, has weakened France's powerful labour organisations and played directly into the hands of the government, according to Bernard Vivier, director of France’s Higher Institute of Labour (a leading French thinktank).
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“The unions are embarrassed by this violence, which is led by anarchist elements of the unions who want to derail any attempts to negotiate with the government,” he told FRANCE 24.
“It has put the brakes on the unions’ momentum, while they themselves recognise that reforms to the pension system are needed,” he added. “These violent protesters want to do anything possible to stop negotiations, and their actions have shot the protest movement in the foot.”
Official spokespeople from France’s major unions were unavailable for comment when this article was published.
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Mostly peaceful
Footage and pictures of hooded youths and baton-wielding riot police have dominated international headlines.
However, Tuesday's protests, in which between one million people (according to police) and 3.5 million (according to unions) took to the streets on Tuesday, were largely peaceful.
Violence erupted on the fringes of some marches, notably in Lyon, where hundreds of masked rioters torched cars, smashed store windows and destroyed bus shelters.
In nine days of demonstrations and strikes, some 1,500 alleged rioters have been arrested, 428 after Tuesday’s clashes, according to the interior ministry.
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Sporadic protests continued on Wednesday, with groups blocking access to regional airports at Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Clermont Ferrand.
The demonstrations, organised by France’s powerful trades unions, come as the French government was finalising a law to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.
The law, which will likely be signed off by France’s upper house of parliament, the Senate, this week, would also raise the retirement threshold for a full pension from 65 to 67.
The protests are backed by the majority of French voters who want French President Nicolas Sarkozy to retreat on what was one of the primary planks of his 2007 presidential election campaign – which he won with broad public backing.
Government action
On Tuesday, Sarkozy sent in paramilitary police to clear blockades at France's fuel depots that this week caused a wave of panic-buying and shut down one in three petrol stations across the country.
"If this disorder is not ended quickly, the attempt to paralyse the country could have consequences for jobs by disrupting the normal functioning of the economy," Sarkozy told a cabinet meeting in remarks released by his office, adding his determination to push the pension reform through.
Three depots were peacefully reopened overnight, but protestors have blockaded several more.
"We will continue to unblock these depots as much as necessary," Hortefeux said. "We will not let the country be blockaded and we will not let the thugs go unpunished," he added, referring to those arrested in street riots.
A third day of violence broke out on Wednesday morning in Lyon and the Paris suburb of Nanterre, both the scenes of earlier clashes, where a handful of cars were set alight.
The government is hoping that the protests will gradually fizzle out, as a 10-day half-term holiday begins and schools, which have been the focus of much of the violence, shut their doors.
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Comments (29)
Democracy: Is when the people
Democracy: Is when the people keep a government in check; remind them of their maker
We are planning to come to France in spite of the strikes.
We are concerned that the trains will not be running to Normandy on Thursday when we arrive?
pension reform
this is obviously only for the interest of the government not the people. the president should resign for his abomninable behaviour
THE FRENCH ARE LIVING OFF THE GERMANS
There's nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure especially the pleasure of rioting so as to avoid working. Thank goodness for the real working class minority who are creative, intelligent, enterprising and resourceful enough to keep France going and thanks to Mr Sarkozy for daring to do what should be done. The French people can't go on constantly depending on the Germans and occasionally rescued by the English not to mention liberated by the Americans. French students today, just as students before them have no shame.
French people
I am American and supposedly live in a democracy; but the French really demonstrate what it is to be an active participant in their own future. I so admire you for the way you speak your minds and fight for your rights! Vive la France!
Nice Work, Lefties!
Okay, the lefties had their fun. They rioted, they burned some poor slob's car, broke windows, went on struck, and they caught the attention of international media for a few days. After all of that, the pension age was increased from 60 to 62 anyway. Nice work. Must have been worthwhile to destroy private property and tick off so many innocent citizens. Congratulations.
Strikes etc
This is the inevitable result of France trying to live in a bubble. Sarkozy was hoped to be the new future after the last of the dinosaurs but so far he has failed. France has had to take a back seat whilst he and Merkel have tried to keep the doomed European Project on the rails. Consequently France has slipped further behind. He must win this fight, it is his last chance before the next election, if he arrives there beaten by the unions it is likely France will turn to the Socialists again which will be a disaster.
french crisis
It ain't exactly Les Miserables, is it? Yet they think it is. Laughable if it wasn't turning so violent. This is the only thing they are willing to "fight" for?
pension protests
I am confused by the statement in this article that states "The protests are backed by the majority of French voters who want French President Nicolas Sarkozy to retreat on what was one of the primary planks of his 2007 presidential election". This makes it sound as if a majority of French voters both support the protests and support Sarkozy to change his mind. Opinion polls in France have shown the opposite, in what is a fascinating paradox of French culture. A majority of French voters understand the need for the pension reforms and support them, but they also support the rights of the strikers to protest the reforms.
62 is too old to wurk!
French Men Unite! Go to China or Mexico and get the respect YOU deserve! Work 12 hours a week, with totally free health care, company paid, month long vacations to any place you wish to go, while you pick how you wish to go there, and where you wish stay. Earn 5,000 USD a month, on a job that guarantees employment for life, with 100% retirement and guaranteed performance bonuses at 10% of your base wage issued every three months. Enjoy company paid family nights at Disney Paris, Disney Beijing, and Disney Mexico City (Coming soon!). Take advantage of free body building, sky diving, scuba diving, jet ski, surfing, meditation, mountain climbing yoga, palm reading, message parlor, and rocketry sessions. Company supplied vehicles (your choice, 2011 models with V8 engines) with unlimited gasoline and driver snacks company paid credit card.
Don't endure the indignity you suffer in France anymore! Stand up for your rights, repair your self esteem, and move to Mexico or Beijing and start enjoying the good life working for a company that respects and loves you!
Simply buy one way tickets for you, your family and friends to either of the exotic and beautiful cities listed above and be ready to start your new life. You must make a large sign and hang it over your head that reads "I am Here for my new life in (Your city here). Someone will quickly find you and take you to the nearest "Employee Indoctrination Center". Be careful not to accept rides from anyone not wearing an official Chauffeur's uniform and driving a stretch limousine.
Good By
Violent protests have ‘weakened unions’ in retirement battle
My Dear French Sisters and Brothers,
Take the retirement age of 62 and move on. It is a giveback that will help your country in the longrun. After all, compromise is the basis of democracy. Viva La France.
Geo S
riots
France looks more feudal/medieval. Direct result of socialist governance. Good riddance! You are faced with the reason that will not happen in the US. A free, unfettered free market economy, and a Repuplic of States free from Federal intervention. We grow too soon old, too late smart.
Weening people off government
It is really difficult weening people of government. Usually ends up with a lot of dead people.
riots in France
I wonder what the French would do if they had to conform with U.S. standards: NO state pensions, retirement age 67, NO government mandated health care, etc.
I think the French are just being unrealist and silly. They don't realize how good they have it. So what if they have to wait two more years to the creaky old age of 62??
But then the trouble with socialism is sooner or later the system breaks down when they run out of other people's money to fund everything.
You asked for it
Comrades mad at Comrades. Socialism fails again.
Hype?
I have been in France for 4 days, including 2 in Paris. Haven't seen a single riot. Tuesday, the day of the "general strike", I took a high speed train from Paris to Grenoble. There were not a single train cancellation and no delays whatsoever. The only visible sign are lineups at gas stations. Other than that, people agree that the strikes are quickly evaporating.
For once the government is
For once the government is doing what is necessary to return to democracy. The protesters are socialists and they would take the country on towards communism.
Violent Protests
The World is watching France and Europe and how each Nation handles its looming bankruptcy. The American People will not allow this type of anarchy to occur.
contemptible
How lazy can you get? Retire at 62? and they fight over this?
I think Sarkozy was wrong.
I think Sarkozy was wrong. He should have LOWERED the retirement age to 58 and borrowed a lot from China for compensation. It's cool to live in France. You only work 35hrs/wk and before you can get anything done, you're already retired.
Labor unrest
I have never witnessed so many people fight so hard for the ability to not work. Why not use all of this effort and energy to make a positive contribution to society? Who wants to rely on the gov't to retire anyway? Pretty pathetic.
SOON
COMING SOON TO YOUR LOCAL AREAS.THANKS FOR NOTHING OBAMA
Riots
The insanity of this violence over changing the retirement age two years is beyond belief.
Who would have thought
That rampant unionization would lead to civil unrest and violence. This is what happens when you have pure democracy and a majority rules state. The sheep are not capable of making decisions on their own, and history repeats itself. America pay attention. Is this what you want?
Unrest
The welfare state is unsustainable, the old and simple law of "you can't spend more than you earn" is hard at work.
French Protests
These protests are orchestrated by the left and don't need to happen. The fact is, every country around the world is having to make cutbacks. Its what you do when the economy goes south and there is no money left.
Protesting is childish, and in this case it is also destructive.
strike-retirement age
I suggest the same here as there : just make early retirement 100 years old and get it over with. The governments spent all the funds on stuff to keep them elected. Their solution, raise the age, never enters their minds to cut graff and put the funds back. That way what we pay in becomes the actual tax they use it for.
What is allowed? -
Approved by administrators? hmmmm That means I can only say things that the administrator agrees with!
That's no way to get opinions. I think the French, Germans, Belgians, Danes, and Dutch are going to have a tough time with the Greeks, Spanish and Italians.
It's like taxing the wealth of New York to subsidize the misfits of Detroit. Ain't gonna happen.
How long before the Aryans of Europe decide they are the only players walking upright in the 21st century economy?
Is there a Tiananmen Square
Is there a Tiananmen Square in France? Okay, use rubber bullets! Time to make these thugs pay a price!
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