World

French Trade Union Says Will Suspend Strikes on Most Metro Lines in Paris

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The French trade union, UNSA-RATP, has announced the suspension of anti-pension reform strikes on most metro lines of the Paris transport operator RATP starting 20 January.
Sputnik
"After 45 days of the strike, most of the railways’ general assemblies decided to redirect the indefinite [strike] movement starting from Monday in order to take part in another form of action", the trade union's press release, published by various French newspapers, said.

According to the UNSA-RATP secretary-general, Laurent Djebali, general assemblies of only three metro lines out of the city's 16 decided to carry on with the indefinite strike due to their workers’ financial hardships.

Artists of Paris Opera Join Protests Against Pension Reform - Video
A nationwide strike began in early December of last year in response to the government's plans to replace 42 different pension schemes with a universal, points-based system. The decision has angered many public service employees, including those working in transport. As a result of the strike, the work of the country's transportation networks has been thrown into chaos.

Last week, the French government decided to suspend the most criticized provision of the draft pension reform and not to increase the retirement age required for receiving a full pension from the existing 62 to 64 years.

Discuss