France - pensioners - Strike
Strike over pensions a 'success,' say unions
Thursday 22 May 2008
An estimated 500,000 people demonstrated across France in protest over a government pension reform plan. "The May 22 protest is an unquestionable success," one union leader said. (Report: H.Drouet, K.Hakiki)
Thursday 22 May 2008
By Julien Peyron / France 24
In
The unions criticize the government for only taking into account the number of years of tax-payment, without considering particular difficulties of certain jobs or “Senior’s” work. In 2007, only 38.3 percent of French people over 55 were wage earners, compared with 44.7 percent in all the European Union. This, the unions say, indicates that the increase from 40-41 years in the work force will only succeed in lowering pension payouts.
The opposition spoke out in support to the movement. The Socialist Party said it stood by its “commitment to the option of retiring at 60, after 40 years in the work force,” while the Revolutionary Communist League said it supported “37.5 years of work for all.”
Government stands firm
The confrontation is only beginning. A reform passed in 2003 by the now Prime Minister François Fillion put forward further dates beyond 2012 and 2016, when the government will look at increasing the working period to 42 or even 43 years.
“Life expectancy is increasing at a rate of three months per year, which means that, under current laws, when one retires, he or she will spend an average of 22 years on a government pension,” government spokesman Luc Chatel said Wednesday.
The French Business Confederation, the largest union of employers in
Conflicting opinion polls
It is not clear if the strikes are widely supported across the country. Surveys published in French papers do not show on what side of the fence French public opinion falls. According to a survey conducted by Ifop-Jounral du Dimanche, 57 percent of those questioned think the strike is “not really” or “not al all” justified. On the other hand, a Viavoice poll for the daily Libération said 60 percent of French people were in support.
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French Syndicat :The shame of the France/ Honte de la France
By Jonathan -
Il n'y a pas vraiment grand chose à dire face à la constante plainte d'une minorité qui ne pense qu'à defendre leur propre intérêt. Il est vrai que le gouvernement de Sarkozy est trés loin d'être parfait mais les reformes sur la retraite sont obligatoires. C'est de la simple folie de penser pouvoir garder tout au long de nos vies les avantages que la France ne pourra en assumer. Le vieillissement de population, la faible croissance economique et la competition internationale sont oubliés par les syndicats politisés français qui preferent sauver ce qui reste de leur representativité chez les communistes alors que les futures caisses de l'Etat en souffriront et que la jeunesse n'ayant pas quitter le pays va heriter du fardeau budgetaire.
Avec une représentation de 3% des salariés français, les principaux syndicats devraient plus se remettre en cause et laisser faire l'opposition faire son travail mais comment peut on se battre contre une idée du monde qui date de 40 ans. Le monde a changer, la france doit aussi. Nous ne sommes plus une puissance economique dominante comme il y a quelques decennies, si nous voulons que notre systéme fonctionne et être compétitif il faudra voir à la baisse ces avantages, sinon on craint le pire.