French strikes December 2019 – here’s what the pension reform protests are all about
FRANCE has been hit with its biggest ever national strike after Emmanuel Macron introduced controversial pension reforms.
Workers from all professions - including air traffic controllers - will strike. But when do they start, who is striking and how will it affect the UK? Here's everything you need to know.
When are the French strikes happening?
The national strikes began at 7pm on December 4.
Strikes are expected to continue over the coming weekend, until December 7.
Some industries' strikes, like Eurostar for instance, will protest for longer - Eurostar plans to strike from December 5 to 8.
However, some trade union bosses have warned they will continue with industrial action until Macron backtracks on his unpopular pension plan.
It's thought to be the largest nationwide strike in France's history.
What are Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms?
The strikes were agreed by unions unhappy with the President's plans for a universal points-based pension system.
The basic idea is that employees would earn "points" for each day worked, which would later turn into pension benefits upon retirement.
Currently, France's pension system is not unified and it means certain professions - like lawyers and opera workers - retire with cushy pensions.
Macron's new system aims to rectify this but it also means that those retiring before the age of 64 would lose out.
Someone retiring in France at age 63 under the new scheme would receive five per cent less than someone retiring one year later.
France's current system is one of the most expensive in the world, and taking into account people living much longer these days, costs are only set to increase.
But workers on both ends of the scale argue that a singular scheme fails to accommodate for individual's working lives.
Metro workers, for instance, have a long-negotiated early retirement as compensation for the gruelling work, long hours and endless shifts spent underground.
How many workers are going on strike?
Thousands of workers from all sectors are thought to be striking.
Those taking industrial action are:
- Air Traffic Controllers
- Airport Fire Services
- Transport Workers, from the Eurostar to the Metro
- Police
- Lawyers
- Hospital Staff
France's interior minister predicted on the evening the strike commenced some 250 demonstrations - but official numbers are yet to be released.
He said: "We know there will be lots of people in these protests and we know the risks. I have requested that systematically when there is rioting or violence we make arrests immediately."
How will the strikes affect the UK?
The strikes could affect thousands of Brits as EasyJet, British Airways, Ryanair and Eurostar cancel numerous services.
When the French Air Traffic Controllers went on strike earlier in 2019, over 500 flights had to be cancelled.
The warned of severe delays that could affect "trains, metros, busses and trams" across France.
Brits heading to France should therefore check before they travel to make sure services are still running.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned of severe delays that could affect "trains, metros, buses and trams" across France.
Brits heading to France next week should therefore check before they travel to make sure services are still running.
