Pensions/retirement, France

Waste workers in the UK and France are taking or planning industrial action over a wide range of issues. Public and private sector workers in France, organised by the CGT union, are taking action over major demands on pay, pensions and health and safety. Meanwhile, in Hull in North East England workers employed by the FCC multinational are protesting over sick pay and inThurrock in South East England the issue is one of surveillance. Workers there are objecting to live streaming to management from cameras in all refuse lorries.

(May 2017) Public service trade unions have had a series of meetings with the new minister of public accounts, Gérald Darminin, with some already unhappy that his remit is not broad responsibility for the public services. The unions have a number of major concerns including the need for a pay rise, particularly for the lowest paid occupations and rejection of the plans to cut 120000 civil service posts. Pensions and other working conditions were also raised in the meetings with the minister indicating that joint meetings with the unions would take place later in the year.

Trade unions in many sectors took strike action and joined protests across the country on 5 December against proposals to reform the pensions system. There is widespread concern that the reforms will lead to later retirement to get decent pensions or retirement on lower benefits. Workers in the transport and education sectors are particularly concerned but the actions, including an 800,000-strong demonstration in Paris attracted wide support. Further action took place on 6 December and is planned for the coming weeks.

Trade union action against the government’s pensions proposals has continued across several sectors, particularly transport. The latest main national mobilisation against pension reform took place on 9 January. While not all trade union organisations are involved in the strike action and demonstrations, all are opposed in some way to the plans to merge pension arrangements across sectors and increase the retirement age and/or increase the number of years of contributions needed for a full pension. There are particular concerns about arduous work in some sectors, like sewage treatment, where

Seven trade union organisations, including the CGT, CFDT, FO and UNSA, representing 85% of all firefighters have been taking strike action to demand improvements in pay and for a significant increase in jobs. The joint actions began in June and are running until the end of August. The unions want to see the withdrawal of legislation on public service reform and a number of other measures to improve pay, health and safety, pensions and trade union rights. A key demand is an increase in recruitment on statutory conditions. There are 40000 professional firefighters. This is the same number as in

Trade unions have reacted angrily to the decision by the government to curtail debate over pension reforms by using a constitutional mechanism to pass legislation by ordonnance rather than the normal parliamentary process. Some unions organised demonstrations across the country at short notice to underline their continuing opposition to the reforms. Others were concerned about the method used to close down debate when there are still major issues still to be resolved, particularly in relation to pension for workers in arduous occupations.

All the main trade union organisations have come together along with groups representing students and young workers to reject the idea that the national pensions and retirement system needs reform or an increase in the retirement age. In a joint communique the organisations underline that it is a major mistake for the government to come up with proposals to reform the system in the current economic and social climate. The trade unions argue that, like the vast majority of the population, they do not support any increase in the legal retirement age or in the contribution period and underline

All the major trade union organisations – including CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA, CFE-CGC – along with student groups were involved in coordinated, nationwide strikes and protests on 19 January in opposition to government plans to reform the pensions system. Trade unions are opposed to the increase in pension age and years of contributions required to get a full pension. They cite the independent Pensions Advisory Council that says that the financing of the pensions system is not under threat. The trade unions have set out alternative plans, including measures to support workers in their fifties to

All the main trade union confederations – including CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC – with the support of student organisations, organised a second day of strike action and protests on 31 January against changes to the pension system. There was again massive support in over 250 demonstrations across the country matching the first day of protests on 19 January. The trade unions are calling on the government to withdraw the planned reforms and especially the proposal to increase the pension age from 62 to 64. They argue that the vast majority of the population is opposed and the unions are

All the main trade union confederations – including CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC – are maintaining their campaigns of strikes and protests against the government’s pension reforms and its key proposal to increase the pension age from 62 to 64. The fifth day of action was due to take place on 16 February with a sixth planned for 7 March and the threat of all-out strike action. The joint trade union and student movement campaign sent a message to all MPs arguing that they should reject the plans, challenging all the government’s main arguments about the need for reform and in particular the

The main trade union confederations – CFDT, CGT, FO, UNSA and CGE-CFC – along with organisations representing students and retired workers are maintaining their strong mobilisation against the government plans to reform pensions and in particular to increase the pension age from 62 to 64. The next, and sixth, day of action will be on 7 March but the unions are also calling for protests on 8 March – International Women’s Day – to highlight how the reforms will fail to address gender inequality in pension provision.

Trade unions, youth and student groups and many other organisations continue to campaign against the French government’s proposed pension changes, including the increase in the pension age from 62 to 64. The latest and seventh day of protests took place on 11 March and further demonstrations and strikes are planned across different sectors. All EPSU affiliates are involved across the main confederations and trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC. Meanwhile, trade unions in the Czech confederation CMKOS are concerned about the possibility of government changes that would

The main trade union organisations – CGT, CFDT, FO, UNSA and CFE-CGC – have maintained their determined campaign of protest and strike action against the pension reforms put forward by the government. The government chose to use a constitutional mechanism to avoid a vote in parliament and so the legislation is now at the Constitutional Court for assessment. The 10th day of action took place on 28 March with the next date set as 6 April.