French trade unions on Tuesday announced a new nationwide day of protests on June 6 against President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to increase the retirement age by two years to 64.
The policy change, which Macron signed into law last month despite months of protests and strikes, has crystallised discontent against a president perceived by many in France as being aloof and indifferent to their daily hardships.
With lawmakers poised to discuss on June 8 a draft bill tabled by deputies from the opposition Liot party to cancel that new legislation, the unions said in a joint statement that the day of industrial action on June 6 was meant to “allow all workers to make themselves heard by the MPs.”
As the government kept a close eye on whether the unions will maintain a rare united front, the unions said they would work on joint proposals to improve workers’ conditions.
Police clashed on Monday with hundreds of black-clad anarchists in Paris and other cities during union-led protests against Macron’s increase in the retirement age, as workers staged Labour Day rallies across Europe.
Opinion polls show a substantial majority of French people oppose the higher retirement age.
(Reuters)