EPSU solidarity with French affiliates for the protests and strikes to defend pension rights

Tomorrow (19 January), millions of workers and students will join strikes and demonstrations across France in protest at the latest government plans to reduce pension rights. EPSU sends its solidarity greetings to all the trade union and student organisations that are coordinating this nationwide action and hopes that it will again lead to the government to withdraw its proposals, as happened in 2019.

Higher pension ages and longer contribution periods will indiscriminately impact millions of workers who cannot remain at work and particularly those in arduous and dangerous occupations. The reforms also threaten the special pension arrangements applying across the public services that have been developed over many years.

Pension systems have long been the target of national governments and the European Commission that are more concerned about imposing restraints on public finance rather than guaranteeing the social rights and benefits of workers and pensioners. The voices of workers and students need to be heard in this debate, with a central role for trade unions in negotiations.