The focus of the nationwide strike action was on public transport and schools. Over 200 marches across the country were scheduled. However, participation in the protests and obstructions were limited. According to union information, 20 to 30 percent of the school staff joined the strike action. In contrast, the Ministry of Education indicated a participation rate of eleven percent of the teaching staff.
Domestic train services were restricted, with some suburban trains and buses running less than usual in Paris. In contrast, most long-distance trains ran as planned. The left-wing populist ex-presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon also took part in the demonstration in Marseille.
Rail customers in Bordeaux are waiting for late trains after a strike has been called
A red rag: the pension reform
The planned pension reform is more explosive than the call for higher wages – the government wants to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 or 65 years. This is a red rag for many people in France. “We don’t want to negotiate about the retirement age,” said Philippe Martinez, leader of the left-wing trade union confederation CGT. French workers no longer wanted to work, he said.
In Marseille, the protest call by the trade unions was heard by many people
The government camp had agreed the night before to extend the consultations with the social partners and to submit a legislative proposal by winter. The new law is expected to come into force next summer. There is talk of raising the retirement age every four months per year, so that the retirement age of 65 would be reached in 2031.
No autumn of protests this time?
Traditionally, there are regular nationwide protests about alleged social grievances in France in autumn, when the citizens are back from their summer holidays. There was no widespread protest on the street this Thursday against President Emmanuel Macron, who was re-elected in the spring, and his government, which was newly formed in the summer. Due to aid worth billions and an energy price cap, inflation in France is currently significantly lower than in other European countries.
The unions and the opposition are also divided in their protest against the government. While the unions were demonstrating, the Left Party, Socialists and Greens only called for a “march against the expensive life and doing nothing in the climate crisis” for October 16.
kle/rb (afp, dpa)
