On 23 September, according to union estimates about three million French filled the streets in an effort to force the Sarkozy government to drop their plan to raise the retirement age two years to 62. In total 230 union demonstrations were reported. The Ministry of the Interior argued there were less than one million protesters, 11% less than the official estimate on the national day of action on 7 September, whereas unions said the numbers were 20% up. President Sarkozy has indicated he is willing to make marginal concessions but remains firm on the central pillar of increasing the retirement age from 60 to 62 and pushing back the age from 65 to 67 for those who want full retirement benefits. The reform proposal passed a vote in the lower house of Parliament but still faces other hurdles, including an upcoming debate in the Senate, before becoming law (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 May, June and July-August 2010).
English: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article ...
For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl. You may find further information on the ETUI atwww.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2009.