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Demonstration against the pension reform in Paris, December 28, 2019. REUTERS / Benoit Tessier

France was living its 24th day of mobilization against the pension reform. Several demonstrations took place throughout France. In Paris, a procession between the Gare du Nord and Châtelet saw the convergence between the striking unions and the "yellow vests".

To occupy the ground of mobilization against the pension reform even during the Christmas holidays, that was the stake, for the unions, who called to demonstrate this December 28 in France. Admittedly, the mobilization was not as strong as during the first demonstrations, but the mobilization of this Saturday succeeded symbolically in two ways.

On the one hand, having passed the 24 consecutive days of mobilization, the duration of the movement now exceeds the iconic strike of 1995 against the government of Alain Juppe (22 days). On the other hand, it seems that convergence with "yellow vests" is taking place over time. In fact, nearly 300 yellow vests were in the procession alongside the unions this Saturday for act 59 of their movement. Several thousand people marched in Paris and other demonstrations took place in many cities in the region.

Escorted by the usual police, the procession followed the course negotiated with the prefecture but was peppered with a few incidents. The secretary general of the CGT Philippe Martinez was jostled and the yellow vest Jérôme Rodriguez was again slightly injured in the face. Brief incidents occurred at the head of a procession near the Pompidou art center where demonstrators, some of whom were masked, set fire to barricades before being dispersed by the police, who used tear gas.

Objective : keep the movement going

For the moment, a retreat from the government on the reform is not on the agenda but the strikers are beginning to believe it. Gathered in interprofessional intersyndicale, they multiplied the strike funds to keep the movement financially. They were visible by the dozen this Saturday in the procession.

Railway workers, teachers, and yellow vests were present and called to be generous in helping to fuel the strike funds. Others, such as the teachers' union FSU , which held its strike fund at the start of the demonstration at the Gare du Nord, sold mulled wine for a few coins. Karim, a photographer, did not hesitate to put five euros in the pot. " People who have the courage to fight I think that if we can help them in our own way, it's good if it can help them ," he explains.

We told them that after December 5 we would be ready, we are ready.

Laurent Djebali, secretary general metro and RER of the UNSA 12/28/2019 Listen

Unions also receive many donations from people who support the movement but cannot strike. " It is quite surprising because we had not made a clear call to feed our strike fund and then finally people sent us without being asked. Many colleagues who participate in general meetings but who cannot strike because of maternity, parental leave or unavailability tell us " I want to participate how can I do?" And they send us checks, ”says Catherine Da Silva, FSU manager for Seine-Saint-Denis.

As the movement prepares to start its 25th day of mobilization, the railroad workers, teachers and the others are already held until January 9, the date of the next big mobilization day for the start of the new school year.