On Thursday, trains will stall, classrooms will be shut and businesses will be disturbed as workers will leave their jobs to hinder a planned pension reform that would push back the retirement age by two years.
For President Emmanuel Macron the nationwide day of strikes will be a significant test, as well as for the unions.
While French voters are rejecting the reform, as indicated by the opinion poll, the government says it is essential to ensure that the pension system is safe.
The unions, who are far less powerful than in earlier times, face the challenge of whether they can change the opposition to the reform and agitation against the cost-of-living crisis into a mass social protest to put pressure on the government to take back its reform.
Simone Legendre, a member of the French Confederation of Management-General Confederation of Executives (CFE-CGC) union representing white-collar workers, said “Inflation, working conditions, pensions… (people) are fed up with all this and that’s why we think many will join us “.
For Macron, both at home and with his European Union peers, his reformist credentials are at risk, along with checking public spending.
According to the Labour Ministry data, the retirement age pushed back by two years and extending the pay-in period would produce an additional 17.7 billion euros ($ 19.1 billion) in annual pension contributions, having the system break even by 2027. There are other ways to ensure the feasibility of the pension system, the unions argued.
The cabinet was “calm, determined” before the strike and requested the workers not to grind a halt to the country, government spokesperson Oliver Veran said.
Unions started the day with more strikes and protests to follow.
Sciences Po professor Palier said, “What nobody can know, and even the unions don’t know, is whether French people are cross enough to… block the country.”
Though Macron has not secured an absolute majority, the reform will be put to the vote in the parliament, but there is a hope to adopt it with the support of conservatives.
‘Nothing good’
Public transport will majorly be disrupted on Thursday. The SNCF rail operator said that only high-speed TGV lines will be running between three-in-one and five-in-one.
Some primary school teachers have said that they will protest, their main union has said. In addition, the Total Energies’ refinery will not ship any refined products in Dunkirk as refined workers will join the strike.
In the southern French city of Cannes, Rozenn Cros said, “There’s nothing good in this reform”, as she along with other teachers assembled for the strike, with banners including “No to 64”.
The government has said that 10,000 police will be posted on the streets to ensure the protests do not escalate to violence, while the CGT union in France has threatened to cut off the electricity supplies to lawmakers and billionaires.
Simultaneously, Macron and his ministers are scheduled to meet the Spanish government in Barcelona on Thursday.
