French Trade Unions Stage Protests In Paris On Friday To Demand Wages, Pensions Hikes

French trade unions organized on Friday protests in the city of Paris in order to demand higher wages and better pensions, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2018) French trade unions organized on Friday protests in the city of Paris in order to demand higher wages and better pensions, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

In early December, the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) issued a communique calling for the mass mobilization of workers of public and private sectors, as well as pensioners, students and unemployed people.

The rally kicked off at about 1 p.m. local time on Friday (12:00 GMT) at the Place de la Republique and, people are moving toward the Place de la Nation. A group of students is chanting slogans against the policy of French President Emmanuel Macron.

CGT head Philippe Martinez is also taking part in the rally. He told journalists that the measures, which were recently announced by Macron in response to the parallel "yellow vest" protests, were insufficient.

"It is necessary to increase the minimal wage, to pay attention to sinking purchasing power. It is necessary to raise wages in the public sector," Martinez noted, adding that the trade unions were seeking negotiations with the French authorities.

France has seen a wave of mass protests since mid-November, when the so-called yellow vest protesters took to the streets to rally against the fuel tax hikes. The "yellow vest" rallies in France have been marked by violent clashes between the police and protesters, some of whom were torching cars and looting shops in Paris.

On Monday, Macron promised to increase the minimum wage and cancel taxes on low-income pensioners, among other measures, which many protesters say is not enough.