Millions of workers in France have taken to the streets in September and October to protest the government’s proposal to “reform” the pension system, which is a euphemism for cutting back workers’ rights.
 French workers struggle |
President Nicholas Sarkozy and his right-wing government have drafted legislation to raise the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62.
Currently, French workers can retire at age 60 if they have paid into social security for 41 years. They can then draw a full pension at 65. The Sarkozy government wants to increase the number of paid social security years to 42, the retirement age to 62, and the age at which workers can draw a full state pension to 67.
The massive strikes have paralyzed the French economy. Fuel and transportation have been disrupted since Oct. 12. By Oct. 19, some 4,000 petrol stations were dry. The government sent the police to break up workers blockading oil refineries. Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that “No one has the right to take hostage an entire country.” Yet, this is exactly what the European banks are doing.
France has been hit hard by the capitalist economic crisis. European banks are threatening to lower France’s credit rating if the pension legislation does not go through, making it more difficult and costly for France to borrow money. The capitalists say that there is no other choice. Two years ago, however, the Sarkozy government transferred $360 billion of taxpayer money to the banks in a massive bailout program.
The response of the French ruling class is not exceptional. The U.S. government is considering raising the retirement age from 65 to 70 years. Greece has also passed anti-worker austerity measures that cut benefits and social programs and increase the retirement age. All the while, banks and corporations have recorded record profits after receiving trillions of dollars in government handouts.
Benefits like social security, disability, and Medicaid were not gifts from enlightened ruling-class politicians. Workers fought and died for them. Labor and capital have always struggled over the length of the working day and the working life. Capital, by its very nature, wants to suck every drop of labor-power from the working class. Workers, on the other hand, have waged fearless struggles to win legislation that limits the working day and increases the time we can spend with friends and family for rest and leisure.
French workers know the stakes they are fighting for. One leaflet, issued by the Haute-Loire department stated that “The strike costs us dear, but we are defending two years of our lives, it is worth it.”
Class struggle can sharpen quite quickly in times of economic crisis as the rich get bailed out while workers get their wages and benefits slashed.
Indeed, the militancy and determination of the French working class is evidence of growing class consciousness. Some 3 million workers have participated in the strikes, including garbage collectors, factory and refinery workers, bus drivers, train conductors, airport staff, postal workers, armored truck drivers and teachers. This is the class unity that is needed in the face of growing austerity measures.
On Oct. 19, students staged solidarity walkouts to join the protests, effectively closing hundreds of schools. Workers have occupied bus and train depots, railway lines and ports. Airport workers have blocked roads to airports in Marseille, Paris, and Orly. Riot police have been sent to attack workers and break blockades with rubber bullets and tear gas. Protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful, although a few images of upturned and burning cars dominate much of the press coverage.
The latest polls show that 71 percent of the public is in full support of the workers. The approval rating for Sarkozy, by contrast, stands at about 30 percent. Sarkozy remains expectedly defiant in defending the interests of the bourgeoisie at the expense of the working class. The pension legislation has already been approved by the lower house of parliament and the upper house is expected to vote this week. Next week, both houses will have to vote on a finalized bill.
The workers of France are not backing down. France’s biggest trade union, General Confederation of Labor, has called for additional strikes to take place next week and many unions have declared open-ended strikes.
These events demonstrate the power that workers, who produce the wealth of society, have. While it is the bankers and bosses, who produce absolutely nothing, who have political and economic control, workers do not always realize the power that we actually have.
Without workers, planes, trains, ships, and trucks do not move, hotels do not have clean rooms, hospitals do not open and schools do not run. All progressive people should salute the heroic struggle of the French workers against this assault on the pension system.
