Life stops today in France: the national strike begins

The unions, which are organizing a series of actions for today, expect a repeat of the broad participation of the first wave of strikes on January 19 and intend to keep up the pressure exerted on the government.

More than a million people participated in the first wave of nationwide protests against the bill that would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Luc Farre, general secretary of the public servants union UNSA, said: “This reform is unfair and brutal. Raising the (retirement age) to 64 is a social step backwards,” he said.

As a result of the strikes, only a third of high-speed TGV trains are operating today, causing even greater disruption to local and regional train systems. Serious disruptions were also observed in the Paris metro.

The primary and secondary school teachers’ union declared that half of the teachers would go on strike, while workers in oil refineries and all other industries joined the strike. Workers who went on strike at public press organizations broadcast music instead of news in the broadcast stream.

EDF energy distribution company EDF.PA Electricity production in the country fell 4.4% as workers at nuclear reactors and thermal power plants joined the strike, according to the data.

While polls on the reform show that the majority of society is against the pension reform, the government of French President Emmanuel Macron plans to maintain its stance on the reform. During his visit to the Netherlands yesterday, Macron said that the reform is “essential” and will allow the continuation of the pension system.