FRANCE
French Public Servants have taken to the streets to protest reforms planned by President, Emmanuel Macron.
As tens of thousands of nurses, teachers and other public sector workers walked off the job, there were widespread travel disruptions and brief clashes with police in some cities.
While the majority of the approximately 180 demonstrations nationwide were peaceful, scuffles erupted between police and hooded young protesters in Paris and the western city of Nantes, where security forces fired tear gas and water cannon.
It was the first time public sector workers — ranging from air traffic controllers to office workers — had joined with rail workers and pensioners to protest over the economic reforms Mr Macron has sought to introduce.
About 323,000 public sectors walked off the job, according to the Ministry for the Interior, while unions put the figure at 500,000.
In Paris, protesters denounced Mr Macron’s proposals to trim some retirement benefits, overhaul unemployment insurance and shake up the highly indebted state-run rail company, SNCF, with some chanting: “Together, let’s derail Macron.”
Public sector workers are angry about plans to cut their numbers by 120,000 by 2022, including via voluntary redundancies, and oppose the introduction of merit-based pay.
Railway workers are worried by Government plans to scrap job-for-life guarantees and automatic annual pay rises.
Only 13 per cent of Central Government workers walked off the job, down marginally from an October strike, the Government said — a sign that unions may still be struggling to mobilise against the President.
Turnout was much stronger among railway staff, who halted 60 per cent of fast trains and 75 per cent of intercity services, while 30 per cent of flights to and from Paris airports were cancelled.
Unions say they will carry their protests into April with 12 strike days planned for the month.
Opinion polls show a paradox: a majority of voters back the strike but an even bigger majority backs the reforms.
Paris, 24 March 2018
