Wednesday, February 1, 2023

France: Workers protest against government's pension reform in the largest mobilizations of the last 20 years

Huge crowds marched across France on Tuesday to say "non" to President Emmanuel Macron's plan to make people work longer before retirement. 

According to the estimations of Trade Unions, yesterday's mobilization in Paris is the largest since 2000. 

The French Interior ministry said that a total of 1.272 million people took part in the protests nationwide, up slightly from the first nationwide demonstration on Jan 19. In Paris, a total of 87,000 people marched, compared to 80,000 on Jan. 19, it added.

Union leaders at a joint news conference at the end of the march said they would organise more strikes and demonstrations against the reform on Feb. 7 and 11.

Marching behind banners reading "No to the reform" or "We won't give up," many said they would take to the streets as often as needed for the government to back down.

Striking workers disrupted French refinery deliveries, public transport and schools, even if, in several sectors, fewer walked off the job on Tuesday than on the 19th as a cost-of-living crisis makes it harder to skip a day's pay.

Solidarity from Greece's All-Workers Militant Front (PAME)

Delegation of PAME in Paris in Solidarity

PAME expresses its solidarity with the workers of France who are escalating their struggle against the dirty effort of the Macron government to increase the retirement age with a new General Strike on 31 January and a series of strikes and mobilisations in sectors and regions.

On 19 January over 2 million people flooded the streets of French cities. Almost half a million demonstrators protested in Paris. While at the same time there were huge participation rates in the strike in all sectors, shutting down factories, stopping transport.

Once again the enormous power of the working class, the class that produces wealth and without which nothing moves, was demonstrated. The working class of France has responded to the attack of the employers and the Macron government and is escalating its struggle.

Workers of France in this struggle you are not alone. In the Strike of January 31, a delegation of PAME will participate in the big demonstration in Paris expressing in practice the solidarity of the class unions of Greece to your just struggle.

We have the power and we can overthrow them!

The victory of the workers of France will be a victory for all workers!

Victory to the workers of France! 

reuters / pamehellas.gr