France to unveil pension plan
MERRY MAKING
PARIS: The French government will unveil the details of a pension reform plan Wednesday that has already seen workers down tools in anticipation, crippling transport for a week as hundreds of thousands took to the streets in protest.
A speedy resolution appears unlikely, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warning Tuesday — the sixth day of an open-ended transport strike — of a lengthy battle ahead as unions vowed not to yield.
The industrial action has paralysed public transport in Paris and disrupted national rail services and grounded many planes.
It is the biggest show of union force since President Emmanuel Macron came to power in 2017 vowing to cut public spending and make the economy more competitive.
On Tuesday, 339,000 people took part in a second day of demonstrations over government plans to merge the country’s 42 pension schemes into one, according to Interior Ministry estimates.
The numbers, which unions claimed were far greater, were
of the strike on December 5, when more than 800,000 people took to the streets.
Philippe is scheduled to announce the eagerly awaited details of the pensions overhaul at noon. Some suggestions are already in the public domain.
Jean-Paul Delevoye, whom Macron entrusted with leading the reform project, angered unions by suggesting scrapping the more advantageous pension provisions enjoyed by some professions — including public transport and utilities workers, sailors, notaries, and Paris Opera performers.
The government says the overhaul will make the retirement system fairer.
On Tuesday, the premier cautioned there would be “no magic announcements” to bring the protests to a sudden halt.
But he sought to reassure workers in sectors which enjoy earlier retirement or more generous pensions that the changes would be gradual.
Those opposing the reform accuse former investment banker Macron of trying to roll back France’s costly but highly cherished welfare state.
The official retirement age in France is 62 — one of the lowest among developed countries, and fiercely defended by the labor force.