December 2019

20Dec

Government-union pension talks fail in France, strikes to continue

The French government and labor unions ended talks on pension reform on Thursday afternoon without reaching a deal to break the deadlock. Philippe Martinez, leader of the hardline CGT union, told the press after the talks that "the prime minister hasn't heard what the street is saying." Five out of the eight unions called for further actions and a cross-sector demonstrations on Jan. 9, he added. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said new roundtable discussions will be held on the...

December 20, 2019
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19Dec

French unions meet government as pension strikes continue

The French government and unions are to face-off over controversial pension reforms, 14 days into a crippling transport strike that has damaged businesses, frustrated commuters and cast a shadow over holiday plans. After hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on Tuesday, both sides stood firm prior to a series of meetings. Government officials have previously said they were ready to negotiate. Union leaders have vowed to continue their action into the new year as the government...

December 19, 2019
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18Dec

French government names new pensions boss

The French government has appointed Laurent Pietraszewski to replace former high commissioner on pensions, Jean-Paul Delevoye, who resigned on Monday following a conflict of interest scandal. Pietraszewski, a member of parliament from France’s Nord (North) department and spokesman for the ruling Republic on the Move group in the National Assembly, was named secretary of state to the ministry of social security and health, in charge of pensions, according to a decree published early Wednesday by the government. The new...

December 18, 2019
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17Dec

Macron’s ‘Mister Pensions’ resigns amid transparency scandal as strikes continue

As massive strikes over pension reform in France continue for a 12th day – with unions livid, for one, that workers under the revamp would have to work until age 64 to retire without penalty – one key player is already out of a job: The father of the reform, Jean-Paul Delevoye, stepped down Monday under the glare of a transparency scandal. Delevoye, the High Commissioner for Pensions, handed in his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who accepted...

December 17, 2019
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16Dec

French business activity stable in Dec despite pension strike – PMI

French business grew at a steady pace in December despite a nationwide strike against pension reform, although activity in the manufacturing sector came unexpectedly close to stagnating, a survey showed on Monday. Data compiler IHS Markit said that its preliminary monthly purchasing managers index fell marginally to 52.0 from 52.1 in November, in line with economists' expectations in a Reuters poll. Though a three-month low, the result was comfortably above the 50-point level demarcating expansions in activity from contractions....

December 16, 2019
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12Dec

French Prime Minister Unveils Pension Plan As Strike Continues To Paralyze Paris

Strikes and protests have clogged the streets of Paris and elsewhere in France since last Thursday. Now there's a turning point: the government has unveiled its plan to reform the French retirement system. The plan calls for a shift from 42 distinct pension plans according to job and region into one universal scheme. The new system will be based on points, on the principle of giving each pensioner the same rights for each euro they pay into it. Those...

December 12, 2019
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11Dec

French PM warns of long pensions standoff in face of new protests

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe warned ruling party lawmakers Tuesday (Dec 10) to brace for a long battle over the government's pension reforms, as tens of thousands took to the streets to back a transport strike that has caused six days of travel misery. The industrial action, which has paralysed public transport in Paris and severely disrupted national rail services, is the biggest show of union force since President Emmanuel Macron came to power in 2017 vowing to cut...

December 11, 2019
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05Dec

Strike paralyses France as unions protest pension overhaul

A nationwide strike brought much of France to a standstill on Thursday as tens of thousands hit the streets to protest a pension overhaul by President Emmanuel Macron, which unions say will force millions of people to work longer or face curtailed benefits. Read also A Look at France’s Heated Debate Over Pensions Trains, metros and buses, as well as some flights, were cancelled while most schools were closed or only assuring daycare services, forcing many parents to find alternatives...

December 5, 2019
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02Dec

French cabinet in Sunday crisis meeting ahead of 5 December strike

The French cabinet has met in a Sunday crisis session convened by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to discuss tactics in the face of Thursday's nationwide strikes against proposals to reform retirement and pension legislation. With a series of strikes planned in key sectors like transport and teaching, the government has already held a number of meetings to thrash out a common strategy to defend reforms – described as "essential" by President Emmanuel Macron. On Friday, several ministers met to...

December 2, 2019
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November 2019

29Nov

Pension reform in France ‘a response to gilets jaunes’

Controversial pension reforms in France are a direct result of the gilets jaunes' protests, government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye has said, prompting outrage from political opponents on social media "This reform is one of the responses to the gilets jaunes' crisis. It is above all one of the responses to the significant injustices that exist in our country," Ms Ndiaye told Franceinfo. The government's pension reform project is still the subject of consultation between the government, unions and employers, and...

November 29, 2019
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