Strike Against France's Pension Reform Plan Begins In Paris

A nationwide strike called by hard-left trade unions against a pension reform plan is taking place in Paris, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Thursday

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) A nationwide strike called by hard-left trade unions against a pension reform plan is taking place in Paris, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Thursday.

The protest action in the French capital began after 2 p.m. local time (12:00 GMT) with a walkout from Denfert-Rochereau square to the final point of Place de la Bastille, the correspondent said, adding that the demonstrators include representatives of the Yellow Vests movement, trade unions, supporters of leftist, communist and socialist parties, as well as radical youth from the black bloc.

The protesters have been marching peacefully, with the column being controlled by police cordons, the correspondent said. The streets where the procession is taking place have been blocked off.

The strike is being held in Paris and other French cities at the call of the country's three major trade unions, namely the General Confederation of Labor, the Federation Syndicale Unitaire and the Solidaires labor union, to protest against the government's plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, and to demand higher wages and social benefits amid Europe's cost-of-living crisis, the correspondent said.

Leftist parties, such as the New Ecological and Social People's Union and the New Anticapitalist Party, also announced their participation in the strike, the correspondent added.

The strike is expected to bring together up to 6,000 demonstrators in Paris and disrupt traffic across France. In the Paris region, every 10th train will be canceled on two metro lines. Commuter trains will run at extended intervals, only three out of four trains will run in several directions. The movement of ground public transport will also be disrupted. The Eiffel Tower in Paris will be closed all of Thursday.