Pension reform advances in France and trade unionists cut the light on the works of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

With the sanction in the Senate of the controversial article of the pension reform by Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, protests, pickets and strikes continued this Thursday. Among these measures, the trade unionists they cut off the electricity in various works of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and at the Stade de France.

A group of workers in the gas and electricity sector cut off the electricity to the construction sites of the Olympic Village and in the town of Saint Denis, affecting the city itself. French stagewhich will be Olympic next year.

Sébastien Menesplier, general secretary of the energy branch of the CGT union, the most combative against the reform, assured that this action try to “show firmness” in response to the Executive’s refusal to withdraw its draft pension legislation.

Third consecutive day of protests

France is experiencing the third consecutive day of cuts in various services convened by the unions, a policy that is affecting above all the energy and transport sector.

In the latter case, the situation has improved compared to the previous days, with more frequent trains and a lower impact on public transport in the capital, while it has remained stable in the airports, with cancellation between 20 and 30% of flights.

The refineries have fuel distribution problemsalthough less than in recent days, while the employers of the service stations are sure that for the moment there are no supply problems.

Production of electricity and gas It’s small enough even if at the moment there are no cuts, other than that of the Olympic works.

Universities and colleges have also joined the strikes, many of which have been closed, while various student organizations have called for massive demonstrations across the country.

Vote in the Senate and after

The Senate, dominated by the right, passed on the night of March 8, after a heated procedural battle with the left, the key item of the pension reform bill, which raises the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64.

Senators on Wednesday voted to raise the retirement age 201 votes in favor and 115 against.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne was “delighted” with the vote, as expressed on Twitter, once again praising “balanced and fair reform”.

“The number will forever be linked to a reform that will take us back almost 40 years,” socialist Monique Lubin complained to Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt. Communist Eliane Assassi denounced a “hasty” debate and the “aim” of the Senate majority to “censor the opposition”.

The head of the senators of Los Republicanos (right), Bruno Retailleau, once again criticized the “obstruction” of the left. “We have opted for accountability,” said centrist Olivier Henno.

According to the government’s plan, the statutory retirement age should be increased progressively from 62 to 64, at the rate of three months a year from 1 September 2023 to 2030.

Furthermore, to obtain a “full-type” pension, the required contribution period will go from the current 42 years to 43 between now and 2027.

The Senate will continue to discuss the rest of the articles of the reform with a deadline on Sunday.

Beyond this vote and the parliamentary process, which could end next week, the big stumbling block for Macron is the massive street protests organized by all trade unions gathered in a completely unknown union in France.

On Tuesday, the sixth day of demonstrations was the largest since the beginning of the movement in January by number of protesters: 1.28 million, according to the interior ministry, 3.5 million, according to the CGT.

EFE and RFI

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