French strikes throw holiday travel into chaos | News | DW | 29.12.2019

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French strikes throw holiday travel into chaos

There have been slight improvements in travel as the strikes enter their 25th day, but disruptions are still widespread. The French government and a trade union have exchanged accusations over who is to blame.

Strike in France (Reuters/G. Fuentes)

France's transport network remained disrupted in Paris and across the country over the weekend, complicating travel for those returning from Christmas breaks or leaving for the New Year holidays.

The rolling strike action over pension reforms entered its 25th day on Sunday, with local and long-distance public transport workers insisting they will keep up the pressure on the government. Monday was expected to bring a slight improvement.

Deputy Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari accused the General Confederation of Labor trade union (CGT) of a "systematic opposition to any reform" on Sunday.

In response, union chief Philippe Martinez said the government had caused the conflict to descend into "chaos." The government and the unions are not due to hold their next talks until January 7.

Paris metro was almost completely shut down on Sunday, apart from two driverless lines.

On Saturday, trade union demonstrators spearheading the action were joined by protesters from the anti-government yellow vest movement in Paris, where clashes broke out and police fired tear gas.

The SNCF train authority said only six of 10 high-speed trains were running on Saturday. While Paris Metro service was improving, six metro lines remained completely closed on Saturday, and there was partial service on several lines that had been shut down since the strikes started in early December.

  • Rush hour traffic fills the ring road in Paris

    France on strike — in pictures

    Walkout causes gridlock

    Many workers hoped to return to work on Friday. Some commuters opted to hire bicycles and scooters and others took their cars. This led to large traffic jams in French cities. There were nearly 300 kilometers of traffic jams in the Paris region.

  • Tracks are seen at the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris

    France on strike — in pictures

    Transportation grinds to a halt

    90% of high-speed trains and 70% of regional trains were cancelled on Friday, the French railway announced. The French civil aviation authority instructed airlines to reduce their Friday flight traffic from central airports to 20%.

  • Frankreich Protest (imago images/IP3press/G. Jeremias)

    France on strike — in pictures

    A fairer system?

    Public sector workers are unhappy about a reform that would see France transition to a points-based pension system from its current system that has 42 sector-specific pension schemes. Currently, rail workers, mariners and some ballet dancers can retire up to 10 years earlier than other workers. President Macron said that the proposed system would be fairer for everyone.

  • A rail worker wearing a fluorescent jacket with an SNCF train company logo on the back

    France on strike — in pictures

    Pensions debate without movement

    Macron's proposals follow a long tradition of French government pension reform proposals stretching for three decades. Each reform has been met with massive demonstrations and none of the changes has succeeded in simplifying the pension system.

  • A man holds a flare in front of a CGT union banner

    France on strike — in pictures

    United behind a low retirement age

    Years of protests against pension reforms have successfully kept the retirement age low. In France, the pension age was raised to 62 years. This is among the lowest in OECD countries, despite being raised from 60 years in 2010 reforms. In Germany, retirement is at 67 years old.

  • Frankreich Lyon | Streik gegen Rentenreformen (picture-alliance/Zuma/J. Colburn)

    France on strike — in pictures

    Stronger together?

    French union leaders are the driving force behind the nationwide strike — but they are not united. The CGT union is the most hardline. It rejects any pension reform proposals and said workers had blocked seven out of eight of the countries oil refineries. The CFDT union is more moderate and is open to the idea of a points-based system.

  • Fireworks throw by protesters erupt around police in Paris

    France on strike — in pictures

    Protests sparked

    While the majority of protesting consisted of peaceful marches, masked protesters also vandalized bus stops, smashed shop windows, and threw fireworks at police as demonstrators progressed through Paris on Thursday.

  • Protesters light red flares during the French general strike

    France on strike — in pictures

    Seeing red at pension proposals

    The so-called Yellow Vests are known for their direct approach to protesting and have said they would join the strikes. Authorities are bracing themselves for possible violence. The yellow-vest movement has swelled into anti-government and anti-inequality protests. Many see the general strike in France as protecting the country's social safety net — not just about preserving pensions.

  • Riot police in Montpellier, France charge demonstrators

    France on strike — in pictures

    Riot police move in

    After peaceful protesting escalated to include rioting and damage to public and private property, security forces also intensified their tactics. Riot police charged crowds and fired tear gas to disperse violent demonstrators.

  • Surrounded by tear gas, black-clad masked protesters throw objects in Paris during a national strike.

    France on strike — in pictures

    Police and protesters clash in Paris

    Police clashed with protesters on Thursday in Nantes, Montpellier, Paris as well as other cities. Masked demonstrators started fires, smashed storefronts, and vandalized cars.

    Author: Kate Martyr


Why are the strikes taking place?

French President Emmanuel Macron wants to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64 and replace 42 separate pension schemes with a single system.

The government has said it has no plans to concede on the special retirement regimes, but has offered some concessions to most of the sectors involved in the strike.

On Saturday, it was reported that the government offered concessions to striking ballet dancers at the Paris Opera, who appeared in a viral video earlier this week, showing them dancing outside their theater.

Financial daily Les Echos reported that the government proposed the pension reforms should come into force for dancers recruited after January 1, 2022. It also proposed a program to help them transition after their careers.

The special retirement plan for the Paris Opera was introduced in 1698 by King Louis XIV. It allows dancers to retire at age 42.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe plans to continue negotiations with the unions after the holidays. The unions are planning a major day of action on January 9.

Watch video 01:21

Chaos in France as strike continues

ed,cw/bk (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)

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