France's transit grinds to halt in protest of Sarkozy's reform plans

[Praxius]

France's transit grinds to halt in protest of Sarkozy's reform plans

Striking transport workers slowed France to a crawl Wednesday morning as commuters, unions and the government dug in for a pivotal standoff over President Nicolas Sarkozy's bid to strip away labour protections he says are stifling growth. Railroads around the country were empty after workers for the SNCF rail authority launched an open-ended strike Tuesday night. Paris transit workers joined Wednesday morning to protest plans to raise their retirement age. Paper signs reading "No Service" dangled at subway stations and bus and tram stops citywide. The highway circling the city was at a standstill well before dawn. Many commuters walked, biked or rode children's scooters to work under gray, drizzly skies. Gas and electricity workers went on strike Wednesday, too, threatening targeted blackouts to illustrate their grievances over the retirement reform. University students and other workers are also putting pressure on Sarkozy's conservative government as it plans a volley of reforms aimed at trimming bureaucracy and cutting costs to make France more competitive. Unlike the scattered strikes that have long marked France, this labour movement will likely be decisive. Sarkozy has personally led this reform push and has put his credentials as a reformer on the line. If he triumphs, the long-powerful trade unions may be forever scarred. Opinion polls suggest Sarkozy has the public on his side this time, as most agree with his arguments that the rules that allow certain public employees to retire early are outdated, unfair and too costly. But the head of one of the toughest unions, CGT-Cheminots, dismissed any mention of concessions. "The ball is in the government's camp," its general secretary, Didier le Reste, said Wednesday on Canal+ television. Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand was meeting with unions Wednesday. Sarkozy, meanwhile, stressed "his determination to carry out this reform," presidential spokesman David Martinon said Tuesday night. The SNCF rail network said only 15 to 20 per cent of trains on major lines would run during the strike and warned that that traffic would likely be disrupted through the weekend. It also urged travellers to postpone their trips. Bike rentals Paris' public transit authority RATP said there would be almost no trains on most subway routes starting Wednesday. One line — the north-south line 14 — ran normally because it is automated. Parisians shared cars, stayed home or rented one of the more than 10,000 bikes recently installed around the capital. They proved extremely popular during another transit strike last month, when the number of daily users doubled to 180,000. Organizers of the rent-a-bike program planned to dispatch 260 workers armed with metal cutters to snip the padlocks employed by people who may try to hog the bikes all day. The bikes are designed to be used for short trips, with rental prices skyrocketing as the clock ticks to deter riders from hoarding the bikes. Electricity workers said they would cut power at local offices of Sarkozy's conservative UMP party, and they also planned "Robin Hood" operations — restoring power to households that cannot afford their electricity bills. The Comedie Francaise theatre and Paris' National Opera — whose employees also stand to be affected by the pension reforms — cancelled Wednesday performances. University students also have voted to go on strike to protest a new law aimed at making public universities more competitive by giving them the right to raise tuition and accept private donations.

Now that's how you keep the government in check... get everybody to strike in the various sectors of the country. Clearly most don't like this idea and are making the government aware that they won't put up with it.

Whether it will work or not remains to be seen, but it's got a better chance then just a few people complaining and hoping for the best..... it helps bring it home that the country is run by the people, and if you don't have the people co-operating with you, things will grind to a halt and cost them more money.

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

The strikes are an effort to stop reforms which will alter the retirement age of rail workers which is (as I recall) after 37 years contribution to the national pension fund as opposed to 40 years for many other French citizens.

this concession was one back in the days of steam when railway work was seen as hard and with long unsocial hours, well the world and trains have moved on

[Nono]

So, raw, if I sign a contract with you featuring certain stipulations, and then the "world moves on", I can just decide that well, the world has moved on. Right?

French rail workers have never been particularly well paid. Early retirement was one of the 'perks' that sorta made up for this, and it was on that understanding that many made it their career.

Sarko is one of those guys who thinks that everything on the planet is up for sale. Well, not everybody agrees. And, as Prax says, each of us has to figure out how to make his voice heard.

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

Quote by: Nono So, raw, if I sign a contract with you featuring certain stipulations, and then the "world moves on", I can just decide that well, the world has moved on. Right? French rail workers have never been particularly well paid. Early retirement was one of the 'perks' that sorta made up for this, and it was on that understanding that many made it their career. Sarko is one of those guys who thinks that everything on the planet is up for sale. Well, not everybody agrees. And, as Prax says, each of us has to figure out how to make his voice heard.

fair do's Nono, I hadn't meant it the way you've read it. You are correct a contract requires renogotiation to be changed. I meant perhaps it was time for negotiation as time moves on. Rebuked I am and deservedly so

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Praxius Now that's how you keep the government in check... get everybody to strike in the various sectors of the country. Clearly most don't like this idea and are making the government aware that they won't put up with it.

Yes sir, and you would never know that we have the right to petition like this in the States these days. Cooperation is dead thanks to the many seperations foisted upon the unsuspecting sheeple. ( Hell, Christianity has about twenty divisions all by itself. )


They went forth to Divide, and Conquere, and it's been a smashing success.


This type of protest could never work here again because creditors have so many people under their thumb, happily working themselves to death just one paycheck from financial disaster. All volentarily, of course.


Fortunately, people all over the planet appear not to be as stupid as your "average American".