French commuters face another day of travel chaos as French transport workers continue their nationwide strike against pension reforms.
Unions have repeated calls for demonstrations in the major cities on the 13th day of industrial action in their continuing battle with the government over pension reform.
French rail workers, in particular, have been striking over proposed changes that include scrapping industry-agreed retirement plans in favour of a universal pensions system.
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe unveiled reforms last week, including a change in the pivotal retirement age from 62 to 64, though people can still decide to retire at 62.
The leader of one of France’s largest unions, the CFDT, said that the adjustment in age crossed a “red line” and called for the strike to continue.
The protests were sparked by the revelation that France’s the High Commissioner for Pensions Jean-Paul Delevoye had failed to declare 13 paid and volunteer roles on his conflict of interest declaration when he entered government two months ago.
His resignation on Monday evening has failed to calm the outrage.
Why workers are striking
Many of the country’s largest unions want Emmanuel Macron’s government to revoke some of the proposed changes.
“We have one of the best pension systems in the world, if not the best. However, the President of the Republic decided, by pure ideology, to destroy it,” the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) wrote in a statement calling for workers to strike.
CGT leader Philippe Martinez said it was up to the government to pull its new reform plan if they did not want the strike to impact the upcoming winter holiday season.
But the secretary-general of the CFDT union, Laurent Berger, said it is elements of the plan they want to change.
“It is especially those who started working at a young age and those who find themselves unemployed at the end of their career who will be penalised,” Berger said in a statement.
But the government has shown no sign of folding on its plans which are meant to de-complexify the system, by transforming it to a single point-based system.
“I am completely determined to carry out this transformation because I believe it is deeply just,” Philippe said while unveiling the plan last week.
Government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye said that the government would host meetings with unions and organisations on Wednesday.
But it’s not only about retirement.
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Health workers are planning on joining the strikes to protest a lack of funding for treatment. They’re also planning to mobilise on December 20.
What to expect
The mobilisation on Tuesday will more closely resemble the rallies of December 5 and 10, with marches planned in many of France’s largest cities.
French railway operator, the SNCF, said that just 25% of high-speed trains would run. Traffic on December 17 will be worse than previous days due to the protests.
People booked on regional trains should not show up at the train station and instead should try carpooling, the SNCF said in a statement.
In Paris, protests are planned throughout the morning with a large mobilisation at Place de la République, Place de la Bastille, and Place des Nations.
Eight Paris metro lines will not be operating due to the strikes.
Delays and cancellations are expected in airports as well, with the civil aviation authority asking airlines to reduce flights to the Orly airport in Paris by 20%.
Protests are planned in Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse among other cities.
