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Strikes in France, London Foreshadow More Protests
PARIS - French strikers disrupted trains and planes, hospitals and mail delivery Tuesday amid massive street protests over plans to raise the retirement age. Across the English Channel, London subway workers unhappy with staff cuts walked off the job.
French workers demonstrate in Marseille on Tuesday against government plans for pension changes. (Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters) The protests look like the prelude to a season of strikes in Europe, from Spain to the Czech Republic, as heavily indebted governments cut costs and chip away at some cherished but costly benefits that underpin the European good life - a scaling-back process that has gained urgency with Greece's euro110 billion ($140 billion) bailout.
In France, where people poured into the streets in 220 cities, setting off flares and beating drums, a banner in the southern port city of Marseille called for Europe-wide solidarity: "Let's Refuse Austerity Plans!" The Interior Ministry said more than 1.1 million people demonstrated throughout France, while the CFDT union put the number at 2.5 million.
Some commuters were annoyed by the disruptions - even in strike-inured France.
"I'm just getting tired of this because this is not the first time," said Henda Fersi, a passenger at the Part-Dieu train station in Lyon in southeast France. "I understand the strikers' point of view but, still, they put us in a difficult situation and we're penalized."
French protesters are angry about the government's plan to do away with the near-sacred promise of retirement at 60, forcing people to work until 62 because they are living longer. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018.
As debate on the subject opened in parliament, Labor Minister Eric Woerth said the plan was one "of courage and reason" and that it is the "duty of the state" to save the pension system. He has said the government won't back down, no matter how big the protests.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon reminded the French that it could be worse: In nearly all European countries, the current debate is over raising the retirement age to 67 or 68, he said. Germany has decided to bump the retirement age from 65 to 67, for example, and the U.S. Social Security system is gradually raising the retirement age to 67.
That sense of perspective was missing from many of the French protests, where some slogans bordered on the hysterical. One sign in Paris showed a raised middle finger with the message: "Greetings from people who will die on the job."
Amid the Paris mayhem, European Union finance ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to create new financial institutions in hopes of preventing a repeat of the government debt crisis that nearly left Greece bankrupt and brought the European banking system to its knees. Market jitters remain - though the most apocalyptic scenarios discussed a few months ago, such as the collapse of the euro currency, have been put on the back burner.
In London, Underground workers unhappy about job cuts closed much of the city's subway system - the first in a series of 24-hour strikes planned for the fall. The thousands of London maintenance workers, drivers and station staff who walked out say the cuts will hurt service and safety.
With the underground train service shut, buses had to take on extra loads, while vehicular traffic was heavy and city sidewalks were teeming with walkers and bikers.
"The bus system has been a mess today, but I got here," said Anita Prazmowska of South London.
In France, some post offices shut down, schools were hamstrung and public hospitals were hit with a nearly 18 percent staff cut for the day. The strike also blocked the Atlantic coast port at Saint-Nazaire, including vessels that feed into the nearby Total refinery.
Civil aviation authorities asked airlines to cancel a quarter of their flights at Paris' airports. Only two out of every five of France's famed high-speed trains operated during the strike, which ran Monday evening through Tuesday night.
Some Paris commuters had to resort to the city's rental bicycle system, Velib, and not all were happy about it. One commuter, Antonia Gilles, tried it for the first time: "It was a success but it was dangerous."
Similar protests are set for elsewhere in Europe in coming weeks.
A general strike was planned in Spain for Sept. 29 over labor market reforms, and in the Czech Republic, a massive protest against proposed austerity measures, including 10 percent salary cuts for state employees, was set for Sept. 21.
In Greece, all public transport workers in the Athens area are to stop work Wednesday for five hours to protest planned reforms to the indebted railway company. Rail and suburban rail workers are to repeat the work stoppage Thursday.
The French strikes come at a time when conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval ratings hover in the mid-30 percent range.
On top of that, an unfolding tax and party financing scandal centered on the fortune of the L'Oreal cosmetics heiress has left many wondering if the government cares more about the interests of the rich and powerful than ordinary workers.
"If we need money ... we know where to find it," said Guy Gamet, a 55-year-old representative of the Workers Force union as he marched in Lyon, in the southeast. "When it was necessary to bail out the banks not so long ago, we knew where to find the money."
Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Gillian Smith in London, Jean-Marie Godard in Paris and Pan Pylas in Brussels contributed to this report.
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Show All"French protesters are angry about the government's plan to do away with the near-sacred promise of retirement at 60, forcing people to work until 62 because they are living longer. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018."
Standing back and observing, it's interesting to see not just the French but all governments worldwide are pushing harder & harder with things seeing just how much people will tolerate before they will react and so NO.
All those in power seems to care about is bringing finances 'back into the black' and to hell with anyone's lives and quality of life, and yet these self same people live on a heightened level of living often on the public gravy train not just whilst they're in power but also when they leave it for the rest of their lives.
What is the average lifespan age for a male these days...70? -- So you retire and then a few years later you die, which also saves money apparently because they don't have to pay for your aged care.
Those in power simply want to maintain a status quo that makes their own lives comfortable. Anyone who thinks it's about 'balancing books' is truly mistaken.
People have the power to say NO.
They have the power to remove themselves from imposed systems they rightly see as unjust.
They have the power to change.
They also have the power to change the system and bring about a new paradigm for the betterment of all and a continuation of it.
These are the things that those in power would have you believe are unobtainable, illegal, or any other number of excuses trotted out often boiling down to the inane slavish underline of monetary requirements and a belief that money is the only thing that matters and it solves all.
Money is nothing.
But apparently those in power want you to believe it rules your life as a god.
An absolutely great post OBHT!
We, the People, represent the Owners greatest fear. Beneath their façade is total contempt for us, great fear, and extreme cowardice.
They will dribble a few nickels our way from time to time, in an attempt to mollify us.
When the blowback comes, heads will roll.
They know they will lose. We don’t. Yet.
great post obht. in 'merka its called trickle down economics but in reality its the the weathy elite peeing on the workers. of course the dim and repugs happily support this trickle down bs.
matt
Dear Old Before HIs Time:
What a wonderful post, and it's true. The playground bullies stopped when no one cared and ignored them. Money is power to many. You know though, if they raise the ss age and try to lower the benefits, then Congress and the military should have to do the same. Lower the age on Congress and the military, and their retirement amounts too. If they haven't the sense to get out of unwinnable wars, then why should they be employed, unless it's at the front lines( infantry too) If the people get " goosed," then so should the ganders.
Pensions and programs like Social Security are freestanding self-funded programs and cutting them will not reduce deficits because they did not cause deficits.
European and American electeds don't really want to reduce deficits...they just want to reallocate resources from you and I to their corporate campaign contributors.
You will never see US workers in 220 cities go on strike because US workers lose their medical insurance when they go on strike. Obamacare assures that US workers will become ever more dependent on their employer-sponsored medical insurance and ever less likely to strike.
The powers that be want to get back in the black as long as they don't have to share the burden. America has no corner on corporatists. I can attest that money is not nothing, especially when it is scarce.
The average lifespan is 85. Not 70. People live well into their 70s very healthy and productive.
Me thinks you should research before shooting off with such unfounded opinions.
BTW, it's been 62 to 65 in the USA since forever, and people generally live well into their 80s with that being the case, most of them.
Of course, there are exceptions. My father did die at age 77, and mama died 2 months shy of 77 herself.
"What is the average lifespan age for a male these days...70? So you retire and then a few years later you die"
Actually in France it's about 80. Also if you look at the attached graph looks like in the 50s life expectancy was about 65. So you can see how a system that was supposed to take care of people for 5 years and now needs to do that for 20 years needs some adjustment.
http://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/graph_month/life_expectancy_france/
"So you can see how a system that was supposed to take care of people for 5 years and now needs to do that for 20 years needs some adjustment."
Yes. Cut military spending, increase taxes on high incomes.
We're talking about France. They don't have military spending and taxes are already high.
Regarding Euro taxes.
It has been a few years since I have been in Europe and France, but when I went into a store and something had a price of 2 Euros, I paid 2 Euros, not like America where I would pay 5-10% sales tax. Once in Great Britain, I was in an accident and had to spend two days in intensive care. When I left the hospital and asked about paying, I was told, "No charge. It was an accident."
So, higher taxes in Europe are not really like taxes in America. I would gladly pay higher income tax in America if there were no sales tax and health insurance premiums.
Yeah, the 2 euros you paid already included the VAT. In the US i guess they mark it separate so people can see how much the gov is stealing from them.
Another moron who thinks paying for schools roads police and fire protection is a rip-off. Those folks that need disaster relief shore do raise a stink when Uncle cant get it done because of budget cuts.
But considering that the majority of our Federal taxes go to fianace empire, there are good reasons to be against Federal taxes in the USA.
And I wish they would. It gripes my ass in the USA to see a hotel with a big sign: ROOMS $79.99 then my credit card gets charged $105.47. Restaurants: $6.99 but does not include drink, tax and tip, so it is $14. Add the tax to the price, then one knows what it cost, unlike America where it is a BIG mystery.
Like I said earlier, it has been a few years since my time in Europe, which was extensive in the 80's & 90's, but, I found society to be OK and I notice in all my other travels, I see more Europeans traveling than Americans, so their taxes ain't that bad or they would all be staying home during their 8 weeks of paid vacation.
Tax me, but give me good health care and public transportation instead of never ending wars against false boogie men.
You're talking out of your ass. France is among the top 5 military spenders in the world, behind only the US and China, tied with the UK and Russia.
And taxes on high incomes, especially high incomes that are supported by bailouts can be raised.
You need to try better. Your right wing lies are pathetic.
Strikes? How unbecoming.
Here in the USA, we'd rather whimper and beg.
This is the way the world ends,
This is the way the world ends,
Not with a Bang,
But a . . .
Interesting. Wake me when they start taking Guillotines out of mothballs.
q
Yes, and in the meantime, let them eat cake.
The inconvenienced worker is clueless; she is only thinking for herself and certainly not about her long term interest.
"On top of that, an unfolding tax and party financing scandal centered on the fortune of the L'Oreal cosmetics heiress has left many wondering if the government cares more about the interests of the rich and powerful than ordinary workers.
"'If we need money ... we know where to find it,' said Guy Gamet, a 55-year-old representative of the Workers Force union as he marched in Lyon, in the southeast. 'When it was necessary to bail out the banks not so long ago, we knew where to find the money.'"
The L'Oreal story is yet another news item censored by the US Propagnda System, when on its face it seems to be just the type of sensation it thrives upon.
Most of my life was spent in the UK, where it was always said that "what happens in the USA today will happen here soon". The perception was that the USA was a few steps ahead of us in almost everthing.
Living here since 2004 has brought me to the realisation that reality is the reverse!
Will we see comparable action here? Somehow I doubt it'll be soon, if at all. Rather than a few steps behind, the US population has lost ground and now seems to be yards, even miles behind Europe and UK in this respect.
The US IS way ahead of Europe - but not at all in the way I think you are thinking. It is leading the world to a bright future of capitalist neo-feudalism. Europeans will know when they have advenced to our glorious status there when, like the US, there are no longer any public services to stage a strike to keep.
"as heavily indebted governments cut costs and chip away at some cherished but costly benefits that underpin the European good life - a scaling-back process that has gained urgency"
"French protesters are angry about the government's plan to do away with the near-sacred promise of retirement at 60, forcing people to work until 62 because they are living longer. The goal is to bring the money-draining pension system back into the black by 2018."
I'm afraid the Europhiles are going to have to find a new model for their examples of perfection.
This is a new reality that is developing and there will be new circumstances, that has been obvious for a number of years.
Uhh, you are aware of the huge budget deficits that America runs, courtesy of your beloved military, yes?
Of course you are. You just pretend that that huge waste of money on the military doesn't happen.
Right on!
rfloh
Well, we can certainly cut military spending to protect Europe and close our bases there, that would certainly help our defict spending.
I'm with you, a lot of spending on our military is wasteful. Surprise.
Vive la France!
Possibly expecting to retire at 60 is asking too much, but so is government's expecting people to work on forever.
The mess we are in was caused by the crooked mega-rich banking fraternity and their friends in government. These people are now taxing and oppressing citizens in order to replenish THEIR coffers.
Enough.
Why should the people of Europe be reintroduced to serfdom in order to satisfy the greed of the rich? Tax the bankers, and the rest of their kind, and if they threaten to leave Europe, let them, but without any of their assets. And then deracinate them and their progeny so that none of the blood sucking greedy corrupt swine can ever return to persecute us and tax us into oblivion.
Governments are not addressing the problems of Europe; rather, they are feathering their own nests at the expense of the people.
God rot the lot of them.
Who is this Angela Doland? It is perfectly obvious that she is a shill for the world oligarchy. The present crisis was caused by finance capital and the same banksters were bailed out by the working people of the world. Ms. Doland thinks that banksters are not rich enough and the working class is lounging around getting time off before they die. How dare they!!! CD, does its readers a disservice to publish her here. Let the WSJ or the NYT have her. Long live the French strikers and their 'sacred' pensions.
Yay!!
Finally, STRIKES against capital and government, co-partners in the ruling class.
It's about fucking time. I only wish it was possible here in the US.
According to Wall Street, government policy should serve the economy, not the people. That is what austerity is all about--serving the economic system. What higher good is served by cutting funds to children, the poor, the aged, and the sick? To support those who need support--that is the entire purpose of an economy. Good to see the workers of Europe have the courage to stick it to those who funnel the wealth of nations to the oligarchs. Now it's time for American workers to follow them.
Until reality hits close to the homes of the oligarchs, they will live in denial. It's time to spread the hardship upward.
If the oligarchy are willing to sacrifice the remnants of American Democracy for the preservation of their wealth then let them bet their lives on it.
LIVING LONGER --- BUT STARTING TO DIE SOONER
Due in large part to our rat race and factory drudgery society, the old age death process that use to take only a year or two, this is now ten to twenty years of pill popping medicated misery.
Degenerative diseases like hardening of the arterials that use to not appear until age 65, now are common in people 40 or younger.
Yes most illness is caused by a bad diet and sedentary lifestyle, but the capitalist work ethic is a heavy drain on the emotions requiring large doses of high fat pleasure to cope with the fake morality and repetitious monopoly.
When are We the People going to start reacting to the plutocracy like the people in Europe?
General strikes and boycots work!
People won't get involved unless it effects them personally. An uphill battle for us who oppose our Empire, as the upper half of society all has great jobs, terrific homes and deluxe healthcare.
Class consciousness always has been greater in Europe than in the U.S., so that as these austerity measures become more and more painful, look for widespread resistance to these takeaways, as per what took place a few months ago in Greece and in France and Spain this week. What's more, thanks to the European Union having broken down barriers between nations, coordinated action, at least throughout the euro zone, is a definite possibility. How far the resistance goes will depend upon on how severe these austerity measures. if they prove to be unbearable, look for mass uprsings to occur. So the big question now isn't whether there'll be mass uprisngs, but whether these will lead to a better world?
I was born in France where I spent the first 27 years of my life. I've been in the US since 1990.
The French are totally out of touch with reality and certainly with the reality of what their country is and can do and will be in the future. Why would the French Gov imposed such an unpopular measure if they could find something else to do?
The French must be reasonable. With a population that is not being renewed, fewer and fewer women are having kids, people are living longer, actually French women have the record of longevity in Europe, only Japanese women live longer, there's not other choice but to ask people to work longer.
France is a society that hasn't innovated in a long time. Nothing is being made and done there. Name anything you use every day and it's not coming from France. Whether it's a software you use on your computer, your camera, your car, your TV, anything, it's not French. France simply can't afford to live like it's on top of the world. It's becoming a small, not very innovative country and should be ready to live as such. Everything in the French mentality is wrong. I mean, so wrong! We are talking here about a culture that has absolutely no originality left. Everything is copied on the US. You name a crass US TV show, you'll find a French version. French society is not making the French dream anymore. I said what the problem was further above. The France don't understand who they are, what they have. They still think Brigitte Bardot is on top of the world and the world is drooling over the Citroen DS and the Concorde. Without the German engine France would be nothing, an insignificant little country living on its past accomplishment that are becoming more and more distant. I'm totally happy with the cheese I find in Vermont these days, by the way, so France can't even talk cooking anymore.
Pauvre France.
Edith Piaf! She will always shine.
She was the voice of the spirit that had been France.
Man! I LOVE Edith Piaf! Thanks for bringing the Sparrow up!!
"Why would the French Gov imposed such an unpopular measure if they could find something else to do?"
Because, that is right wing mantra, and Sarkozy is a right winger.
"The French must be reasonable. With a population that is not being renewed, fewer and fewer women are having kids, "
Wrong. One, french fertility rates are actually increasing, and are above the replacement level. Combined with immigration, though that has been reduced as fertility rates have risen, population renewal is not a problem.
You're either talking out of your ass, out of ignorance, or lying.
Darn, you sound like one of those American bashers. The French and France are nowhere close to the bottom in Europe. Many of the problems you cite are endemic to Europe and many other parts of the world.
The French have their problems, but they will get past them, they always have.
Introduce logarithmic scale taxation system.
It will be funny to watch as the millionaires and CEOs hit the streets.
Even more funny as the police shower them madly with pepper spray.
Should I also add that France has had an unemployment rate of 10-12% for the last 20 years and it's around 20% for people below 30 year old. Nobody works, nobody pays taxes, but the people who work want to stop working at 60 when the most efficient countries in Europe, Sweden, Holland and Germany have their citizens work until 67.
Since nobody works and less and less pay taxes, where do all those "sophisticated" French people think the money to pay their retirement will come from?
Every country could or will be brought down by different things. What will take France down is the stupid, whimpy, whinny, never happy mentality of its citizens.
I'm done and glad to live in the US now, despite all the problems with do have here. At least I can see some people working in the right direction here.
Oh, by the way, how come they don't have sites such as Common Dream, alternet, The Progressive, Democracy Now, Grit TV and guys like Bill Moyers, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Colbert, Rachel Maddow in France? Because they are rigid, still living in the fifties and most of them still believe they won the war.
"The French and all the European countries are way ahead of us when it comes to real benefits for the working people"
Thats the point. That is ending, it was never more than a fantasy in any case that those levels of subsidoies could be sustained.
In USA nobody works because your beloved greedy corporations exported all your jobs to China. Just have a look at your rusting once mighty industrial empire.
Where do all those "sophisticated" American people when not so long ago yours mighty financial institutions splash money by truck loads at your houses like greed drunk monkeys and then ask rest of the world to fork the bill?
Who pay taxes? Are you blind or plain "NAIVE"? Have you ever seen a queue of Joe six-pack’s shifting wheelbarrows of money to a Tax Havens?
USA will be brought down by its casino capitalism, sociopathic corporations, insane governments and the arrogance of its citizens.
Please implode with dignity and honor instead, for the world's sake.
I hope you aren't buying Euro's? Watch who revives, even with the burden of Obama.
"Should I also add that France has had an unemployment rate of 10-12% for the last 20 years and it's around 20% for people below 30 year old. Nobody works, nobody pays taxes, but the people who work want to stop working at 60 when the most efficient countries in Europe, Sweden, Holland and Germany have their citizens work until 67."
This statement is completely, utterly idiotic. The reason young people have trouble finding jobs is BECAUSE the retirement age is increased. Increased supply of labour, competing for the same amount of jobs. Which results in the depressing of wages. Which is what right wingers, like you, want.
"Oh, by the way, how come they don't have sites such as Common Dream, alternet, The Progressive, Democracy Now, Grit TV and guys like Bill Moyers, Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Colbert, Rachel Maddow in France? Because they are rigid, still living in the fifties and most of them still believe they won the war."
Name the American equivalent of Eva Joly, Daniel Cohn Bendit, Cecile Duflot. Name the American equivalent of Le Monde Diplomatique.
"This statement is completely, utterly idiotic. The reason young people have trouble finding jobs is BECAUSE the retirement age is increased."
Uh, might wanna rethink that. I think it was in the 80s that France decreased retirement age from 65 to 60.
Young people have trouble finding jobs in France due to misguided labor laws.
That sense of perspective was missing from many of the French protests, where some slogans bordered on the hysterical. One sign in Paris showed a raised middle finger with the message: "Greetings from people who will die on the job."
" . . . bordered on the hysterical"? Angela Doland sounds like the perfect Obama/Rahm Emanuel stooge. Is she a paid agent of the Democrats? Is there really even an Angela Doland? Not so cleverly disguised as so-called "objective" journalism, this is a piece of Reagan-era anti-labor boilerplate.