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France: Workers fight austerity with massive strike

Day of action unites public and private sectors

HUNDREDS of thousands of French workers walked off the job yesterday in a nationwide strike to improve pay, protect pensions and fend off new austerity measures introduced by the Socialist government.

Trade unionists from both the public and private sectors took to the streets of cities across France, ratcheting up the pressure on the deeply unpopular government of President Francois Hollande.

The strike closed the Eiffel Tower to tourists, shut down schools and caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled, with air traffic controllers holding the second day of a two-day strike.

Railway, healthcare and energy workers all downed tools in the support of the day of action, called by the CGT, FO, FSU and Solidaires union confederations.

Workers at public broadcaster Radio France entered the third week of their walkout in protest against budget cuts.

The French Communist Party issued a message of support for the strikers, saying that it was “unthinkable” that Radio France could keep up the same level of service after being ravaged by 300 job cuts.

“The public radio service should not be sacrificed on the altar of austerity,” said party leader Pierre Laurent.

Unions are also fighting to smash a five-year pay freeze for civil servants, boost the minimum wage and close the gender pay gap.

The strike took place a day after the government said it expected GDP to grow by just 1 per cent this year and lowered forecasts for 2016 and 2017.

Under Prime Minister Manuel Valls, the ruling Socialists have brought in a set of austerity measures known as the Macron law, which was forced through parliament last month using emergency powers.

It lets bosses sack workers more easily, savages employment tribunals, deregulates the notary and legal professions and extends Sunday trading, among other things.

The legislation followed a massive handout to private firms in the form of a €40 billion (£30bn) business tax cut.

The CGT condemned the “fundamentally ideological text,” and pointed out that organised resistance had forced the government to drop several of its provisions.

by Our Foreign Desk

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