French Unions Plan First Strikes Over Pension Reform on Jan. 19

France’s main labor unions responded to President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age by calling a first day of strikes and protests on Jan. 19.

(Bloomberg) — France’s main labor unions responded to President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age by calling a first day of strikes and protests on Jan. 19. 

The unions met Tuesday evening in Paris after Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the government plan to gradually raise France’s minimum retirement age to 64 by 2030 from 62 currently.

Read more: Macron’s Government Unveils Plan to Make French Work Longer

“The pension system is not in danger, nothing justifies such a brutal reform,” Laurent Berger, the head of the moderate CFDT union said after a meeting with other labor organizations.

The Jan. 19 strike would only be the first step of the labor union response, and further action will be decided in collaboration with student groups, he said.

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