French strikers march against the pension reform

Hundreds of thousands of strikers took to the streets in France for the second time this month to protest pension reforms. The reform is seen as a major test for President Nicolas Sarkozy who is at an all-time low in the polls.  

French strikers protest pension reform

With the day’s success or failure to be determined on whether more or fewer people take part in the strike action than during a previous day of strike, French officials and trade unionists were squabbling over the figures on Thursday.

According to the police, 40,000 people had gathered at the beginning of the march in Paris, down from 47,000 on 7 September.

However, more flights were cancelled on Thursday, and more coaches were hired to bring protestors to Paris than two weeks ago, the head of the CFDT trade union, Francois Chérèque said.

Walkouts hit schools and transport hardest with only around one train in two running normally and unions say around half of the teachers did not turn up for class.

Despite this last call to arms, timed to coincide with a parliamentary debate on the issue, the reform bill has passed through France's National Assembly, and is to be examined by the upper house in two weeks, where it is expected to pass.

If the reform bill is finally adopted, the retirement age will go up to 62 by 2018, instead of 60, and workers will have to pay social security contributions for an extra year to get a full pension.

Unions and opposition politicians say the reforms plan puts an unfair burden on workers. They blame the economic crisis for rising deficits and believe workers as well as employers should carry the weight of reform. Trade unions are planning to meet on Friday to discuss their next move.

A survey carried out for the CGT union and published Tuesday in the communist newspaper L'Humanite said that 70 percent of French were opposed to raising the retirement age.