Paris (AFP)

The social conflict over the pension reform enters this Thursday in its fourth week with transport still very disturbed by the strikes, with no visible exit door and a new day of action on Saturday on the agenda.

The shadow of 1995 hangs over the 22nd day of mobilization. The conflict had lasted for as many days, between November 24 and December 15, notably against the pension plans of civil servants and public service agents, that the government of Alain Juppé ended up abandoning, while maintaining the rest of its Social Security recovery plan.

Twenty-four years later, no outcome appears, with a government determined to replace the 42 existing pension plans by a "universal system" by points and introduce a pivotal age at 64, accompanied by a bonus-penalty. The unions opposed to this project where "everyone will lose" keep up the pressure.

Thursday, train traffic was to remain "very disrupted" all day with one TGV out of two in circulation, one Transilien on 5 and 4 TER on 10 as well as one Intercités on 4.

The SNCF recalls that "all trains open for booking on oui.sncf, until December 29 inclusive, are guaranteed to run".

At RATP, only automatic lines 1 and 14, as well as the Orlyval line, operate normally and four metro lines are completely closed. RER A and B continue to run only during peak hours. Tram traffic is close to normal.

A demonstration of railway workers is planned in Paris between Gare de l'Est and Gare St-Lazare at midday.

- 'Abolition of special regimes' -

This week, contrary to the wishes of Emmanuel Macron, no Christmas truce occurred.

Bus blockages, power cuts, refineries at a standstill, "festive" lunches, representation of Lac des Cygnes on the forecourt of the Paris Opera by dancers on strike ..., unions have multiplied initiatives one almost everywhere in France. This Saturday, other actions are planned throughout France.

To help the strikers, several cagnottes or solidarity checks were launched: 250,000 euros given Tuesday by the Info'Com-CGT union to RATP employees after 40,000 last week to 920 public and private employees (railway workers, postal workers , gas and electricians ...).

As for the traders affected by the strikes, Laurent Maillard, spokesperson for the LREM group at the Assembly, stressed that they could request a postponement of the payment of their tax levies.

The conflict seems to be well on its way to surpassing the 28-day record reached in 1986/87 at the SNCF, also without a Christmas break, for the defense of wages and working conditions.

The SOS Retraite collective, which brings together liberal professions with autonomous regimes, calls for a strike on January 3.

Among them, four hostess and steward unions have suspended their appeal after obtaining guarantees from the executive and the union of SNPL pilots could do the same.

Another next highlight is January 9 with another day of strikes and interprofessional demonstrations called by the CGT, Force Ouvrière, the FSU and Solidaires, as well as youth organizations.

Laurent Pietraszewski, the "M. Retraites" of the government, warned: no question of going back on the "abolition of special regimes". And it closed the door to certain demands of the CFDT and Unsa unions, favorable to the reform, in particular that of reinstating four factors in the arduousness account (painful postures, mechanical vibrations, carrying heavy loads and chemical agents).

© 2019 AFP