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The debates on the text of the pension reform proposed by the French Government continue this Monday, March 6, in the Senate. In parallel, multiple unions have announced huge mobilizations that will take place this week. The latter want to “paralyze” France to show their disagreement with one of the pillars of Emmanuel Macron’s political program.
The unions promised a larger scale strike called ‘France à l’arrêt’. Some mobilizations that will take place in different parts of the French territory and that coincide with a crucial week for President Emmanuel Macron.
This Monday, March 6, the debates in the Senate on the retirement age continue, one of the main proposals of the president that he has repeatedly defended despite the strong opposition that has manifested itself in the streets.
On the eve of a sixth day that promises to be massive, the French (still mostly hostile to the Executive’s project, according to polls) must prepare for 24 hours of mobilization.
More and more protests
The unions have promised that it will possibly be one of the most massive. They want to do better than on January 31, when the police counted 1.27 million participants and the inter-union coalition more than 2.5 million on the streets of France.
For its part, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) recorded 265 concentrations. A whole record.
“At the beginning of January, the people mobilized in a resigned way. But today, given the breadth of the movement, more and more people believe that the government can back down,” analyzed the leader of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, for porting ‘JDD’.
The Executive is aware of what is being prepared on the street, urging the opponents to be “responsible”, but it also has an eye on the Senate, with a right-wing majority.
At the Luxembourg Palace, the debates advanced at a measured pace throughout the weekend, with the abolition of special regimes for newcomers and the creation of a “senior index” in companies, but only for those of more than 300 employees.
“We will do everything possible so that the reform can be adopted,” declared Sunday Bruno Retailleau, head of the Senate of the Republican party, whose support for the reform is crucial for Macron. The review of the text is scheduled to end on March 12.
The promise of a week to forget
Bruno Retailleau also harshly criticized those who want to “bring France to its knees”, pointing to the most critical opponents of the reform, who have announced strikes in the renewable energy, refinery and transport sectors. Some warnings that have also generated great disgust on the presidential side.
Significant effects are expected in urban and rail transport, since all the unions have called a extendable strike, starting Tuesday, at the Autonomous Parisian Transport Administration and at the state railway company SNCF.
The Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, sentenced: “It will be one of the most difficult days we have experienced.”
At the SNCF, strike notice begins at 7 pm (local time) on Monday. This will lead to the departure, on average, of only three out of five TGV Inoui and Ouigo trains. The same will happen with TERs. Intercity train traffic will be almost non-existent.
As for the Paris metro, most of the lines will see their traffic restricted, mainly in the busiest hours, with the exception of lines 1, 4 and 14.
The Government has encouraged teleworking. Although this recommendation will apply more to urban managers than to workers and employees.
In the energy sector, the unions inaugurated on Friday the series of mobilizations with production cuts in several nuclear power plants. The CGT threatened to forget a week.
On the fuel side, the CGT has also called an extendable strike at the refineries, with the aim of “blocking the entire economy.”
On the highways, the mobilization of truckers will be monitored.
The teachers will also go on strike again, and the unions are calling for the “total closure of schools, colleges and institutes.”
Blockades are also expected in the institutes, although the mobilization has difficulties to penetrate among the young people. Student organizations and institutes have called a meeting on March 9 to “strengthen the movement.”
Paralyzed works, closed shops, open tolls and blocked roads are part of the range of actions planned by the opponents, who will continue to make themselves heard on March 8, International Women’s Rights Day.
This article was adapted from its original in French.
