War of attrition: Macron plans to financially grind down French strikers
When French trade unions declared a nationwide strike to protest against planned pension reforms, Nicolas, a 34-year-old maintenance technician with the Paris metro, went on strike for three straight weeks. Then he went back to work. "It was a financial thing," he said as he ...
French transport strike drags on despite government compromise on pensions
A crippling French transport strike dragged into its 39th day on Sunday despite the government's offer to withdraw the most contested measure of the pension reform plans that sparked the protest. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Saturday he would drop plans to increase the official ...
French unions take to streets in make-or-break pension protest
French trade unions disrupted rail services, cut power output and brought demonstrators onto the streets in cities across France on Thursday in a make-or-break push to force President Emmanuel Macron to abandon his planned pension reform. The country's hard-left unions rallied supporters hoping to regain ...
Paris shops' sales halved as strikes bring chaos to the city
Five weeks into strikes crippling French transport, Emile Sebbag is agonizing over how to keep afloat his two Parisian clothing stores, deserted by shoppers as the backlash against France's pension reform drags on. The start of winter sales on Wednesday — traditionally a big event ...
Thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday against French President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reforms that have sparked a monthlong transport strike. Some protesters donned the yellow vests that over the past year have become symbolic of opposition to Macron's attempts at reforms that he says ...
Emmanuel Macron embarked Wednesday on what is shaping up to be another rocky year for his presidency of France, facing a fresh barrage of anger from critics for using a new year's address to reaffirm his commitment to fiercely contested pension reforms. Far-left leader Jean-Luc ...
Striking Paris Opera musicians ushered in a new year of protest against President Emmanuel Macron's government by playing extracts from "Carmen" and "Romeo and Juliet" to a square steeped in the history of the French Revolution. The spirited, makeshift performance Tuesday on the front steps ...
Glimmers of cheer for Paris commuters on 26th day of strikes as transport squeeze eases
The start of a fourth week of French transport strikes saw some modest improvements Monday for beleaguered commuters in Paris, with fewer Metro lines closed. The strikes against government plans to reform the French pension system were still causing considerable disruption for users of the ...
Christmas crawl as French transport strike enters fourth week, exacts financial toll
Christmas Day brought no respite for travelers in France as a transport strike entered its fourth week, ruining the plans of thousands wanting to celebrate with loved ones. Many people scrambled at the last minute to make alternative arrangements as the protest against pension reform ...
Christmas Eve 2019 was an unusually gloomy one for France as the 20th day of a transport strike left many scrambling on Tuesday to reach their loved ones for the traditional family feast, while others simply gave up. The protest against pension reform has led ...
Holiday travelers across France scrambled for alternatives Sunday as an 18-day-old transport strike over pension reform saw train services slashed yet again. President Emmanuel Macron issued an appeal on Saturday for a truce over the holidays, three days after talks between the government and unions ...
Transport chaos as French strike bites, but Macron camp vows to press ahead with pension reforms
French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and senior Cabinet ministers were due to meet late Sunday to discuss the government's proposed pensions reforms as public transport in France was crippled for a fourth day running in protest. The country's powerful labor unions, who ...
