France experienced new disturbances and demonstrations on Saturday December 28, on the occasion of the 24th day of strike against the project of "universal" system by points wanted by Emmanuel Macron.
Thousands of people, including "yellow vests", took to the streets of Paris and other cities in the regions at the call of the unions most mobilized against the pension reform.
>> Read: Defense of pensions, an "old demand of the workers' movement"
In Paris, around 300 "yellow vests", including Jérôme Rodrigues, a figure in the movement, left the Place de la Bourse. Signs proclaimed "Pivotal age, tomb age", echoing the "equilibrium age" accompanied by a bonus-penalty that the government wants to set at 64 years in 2027, or even "Strike, blocking, Macron clears" .
These "yellow vests" converged on the event organized by the CGT, FO, Solidaires and FSU regional unions between Gare du Nord and Châtelet. Several thousand people took part in this parade, which was slowed down by incidents between demonstrators, some wearing hoods, at the head of the procession, and the police.
In Aulnoye-Aymeries (North), around 500 people marched, according to SUD-Rail. "For a weekend during the holiday season, it's not that bad," reacted Marc Lambert, union delegate, who "waits for everyone to get started, not just the railroad workers, to get the withdrawal from the reform. "
A hundred demonstrators gathered in Toulouse, according to AFP, which counted 500 in Saint-Etienne and 150 in Rennes. In Bayonne, they were 1,100 according to the police, 2,200 according to the unions.
Greetings to the long-awaited French
Now longer than that of 1995 in transport (22 days), the conflict could exceed the 28 days reached in 1986-1987 at the SNCF, also without Christmas break. Especially since the resumption of consultations between the government and union and employer organizations is only scheduled for January 7.
For travelers, the situation therefore remained complicated on Saturday, with an average of 6 TGVs out of 10 and 1 Transilien out of 5 in circulation until Sunday evening, and another six metro lines closed on Saturday in Paris.
SNCF plans to operate three TER out of ten on Saturday, 4 TER out of ten on Sunday, and an average of three Intercités over ten over the weekend.
For its part, the RATP announced that 13 lines of the Paris metro will be blocked on Sunday but plans a "significant improvement" Monday.
Despite the calls of Emmanuel Macron, but also of the general secretary of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, who supports the principle of a universal retirement system even if he opposes the establishment of a pivotal age, no truce did not intervene for the end of year celebrations.
After days of silence, the speech of the President of the Republic on December 31, for his wishes to the French, is now eagerly awaited.
With AFP
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