Millions strike in France to defend pensions

[Hannah Bell]

More than two million workers and youth demonstrated in 220 towns and cities across France on Tuesday in opposition to cuts in pensions being imposed by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Alongside the marches and rallies, over two million workers in the pubic sector held a one-day strike and were joined by many private-sector workers...

Tuesday’s protests were the largest so far against Sarkozy’s pension “reforms,” surpassing the previous record turnout last June by 40 percent, according to estimates by both the police and protest organizers. The day of action was timed to coincide with the start of parliamentary debate on the pensions bill.

According to union estimates, marchers in Paris numbered 270,000, double that of June. In Marseille, 200,000 turned out, while in Rennes 48,000 workers mobilised. Toulouse saw 110,000 on the streets, and Lyon had a crowd of 35,000. Bordeaux protestors numbered 100,000.


The main teachers union federation, FSU, estimated that 60 percent of primary and 55 percent of secondary school teachers, about half a million, went on strike. Over 25 percent of state government workers and over half of railway workers, 22 percent of the RATP Paris metro and bus workers, up to 40 percent of postal workers and 38 percent of France Telecom’s 100,000 workers went on strike for the day.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/fran-s09.shtml