The general strike by French workers against the pension reform continues this Wednesday, with the garbage collection sector in Paris halted until March 20 and unions vowing to strike more sectors in the coming weeks.
We will continue with the movement, with these strikes and demonstrations. In some sectors there are strikes that are going to be renewed in several days, such as dock workers who are going to go on strike for at least 72 hours, but also strikes in the energy sector, in transportation. […] Let’s continue, for now, this week. But, why not in the coming weeks?” questioned Boris Plazzi, CGT confederal secretary, in statements to Agência Lusa.
With two months of constant strikesThe protests against the increase in the retirement age continue this Wednesday, at a key moment when the mixed commission of deputies and senators meets to reach an agreement on the final text.
If this commission reaches an agreement on Wednesday, the final text should be voted on the following day in the Senate and on Thursday afternoon in Parliament.
The unions, united against this reform since the beginning of the fight, have already promised be present at the door of the National Assembly Thursday.
The anti-reform strike movement expects at least 800,000 people to take to the streets in France on Wednesday, with the strike continuing in many regions until Thursday and will mainly affect the transport sector, including aircraft, health, education, ports and power.
If we can keep putting pressure on the National Assembly, we will, as well as the senators, the different powers and, of course, Emmanuel Macron, since this is a reform that belongs to him and he is determined to achieve it. she told Lusa, the trade unionist.
Meanwhile, the strike has reached the garbage collectors, who in most French cities have not collected or treated garbage for nine days.
In Paris alone, more than six thousand tons of garbage have already been collected, something that is beginning to make it difficult for cars to circulate in the city and could pose a danger to public health.
When a class like the garbage collectors in Paris, who have always worked even during the [pandemia de] Covid, and in other cities, is something that bothers all citizens and, indeed, the situation is getting worse. But this only means that their work must be recognized and valued”, explained Boris Plazzi.
In the capital, the garbage collectors decided to continue the strike until March 20, and the civil government asked the Paris City Council to at least remove the garbage from the places where the procession of the demonstration on Wednesday will pass through the center of the capital.
There are at least three incinerators that are closed on the outskirts of Paris and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who is a socialist, says she is in solidarity with this movement.
After sending a letter to President Emmanuel Macron, in which 11 unions called for negotiate directly with Elisha the conditions of this reform, and with the head of state responding that he will only receive them after the law is approved, those responsible for these structures now fear that the protests will acquire the same contours as the ‘yellow vests’ movement between 2018 and 2019.
In addition to the anger against this reform, there is a very strong anger among the population in relation to wages, due to high inflation, and I believe that the [segundo] The mandate of Emmanuel Macron starts very badly. And this anger can turn into something more radical, more furious and that will happen outside the union framework and that is what we are afraid of, as it happened with the ‘yellow vests’”, Boris Plazzi warned.
Source: Observadora
