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French unions set new pension strike dates

FRENCH unions have called for new strikes to oppose the government’s plans to slash workers’ pension rights.

Unions are calling on workers to stage another walkout on February 7 and 11 against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to increase the pension retirement age from 62 up to 64.

According to the main French trade unions, more than 2.5 million people joined the demonstrations across France on Tuesday — even larger than the turnout on the first day of action on January 19. 

On Tuesday evening, France’s largest union centre, the CGT, announced its intention to continue strikes at refineries on February 6, 7 and 8, which could lead to production stoppages at some sites, TotalEnergies co-ordinator Eric Sellini said.

Responding to the latest mass mobilisation, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne tweeted that the government has heard “the questions and doubts” raised by the pension reform. 

In a signal that there may be some movement over the proposals by the government, she said: “The parliamentary debate begins. It will allow us to enrich our project transparently.”

Last Sunday, Ms Borne said that the progressive delay until 2030 of the increase in the retirement age as a solution to the deficit is “no longer negotiable.”

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