Tuesday, October 12, 2010

1.2 Million on Strike in France Over Retirement Age Increase

According to this article, on Tuesday October 12, over a million in people in Paris, France took part in the largest demonstration yet in response to the government increasing the retirement age from 60 to 62. The Ministry of Interior states that about 1.2 million people walked out of work to take part in the protest, whereas the unions figured more are 3.5 million people took part. Many students took part in the protest as well as public school teachers for there were no classed held on Tuesday. Life on the outskirts of the protest did not in any seem to be affected dramatically by the protest; pedestrian life and car traffic was stable as well as business remaining open the day of the strike.
This is the fourth strike the unions have held, but the earlier ones had a 24 hour ending period whereas this one has no ending time. The unions have decided to vote each days as to whether or not they should go on with the protest, which could then lead to chaos in Paris. The strike began days after the Senate began voting on the pension reform bill. The lower house has already passed it.

Submitted by: Jaime Hacker

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