The last timeFrancereached for a universal pension system,Jacques Chiracwas President,Alain Juppewas his prime minister and, like today, a wave of freezing cold weather had descended on the country.
After 2 million people took to the streets and nearly three weeks of near total paralysis, the pension reform was dropped. It hadn’t been attempted since.
President Emmanuel Macron has announced reforms that would put an end to the 42 retirement schemes currently in place in France.
His proposal: Schemes, which include special provisions for certain professions, like rail workers and train drivers who benefit from early retirement, would be unified into a single points-based system that would give all workers the same rights.
What’s driving concern?Many fear that under Macron’s new universal retirement system, they will have to work longer for less, even though the official retirement age in France is 62 – one of the lowest among the 36 countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD).
What to expect Thursday: Ambulance drivers, teachers , police unions, postal workers, hospital work ers are expected to join the strike. And for the first time, yellow vests will be joining the unions in their protests.
In Paris alone, 300 of the capital’s 652 primary schools will be closed because of the strike action. And 6, 000 police officers will be deployed in Paris for rallies across the city, with protests on the Champs Elysees, Matignon and police stations forbidden.
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