Paris Strike

Parisians like to demonstrate and strike to express their unhappiness with government proposals.  The most recent series of demonstrations relates to the government’s proposal to increase the minimum retirement age from 60 to 62.  The French public seems to understand the need for the change, but also supports the union in their strikes against the change.  

  

Here in Paris we have been reading about the strike and seeing it on the news, but not experiencing it.  For example, we were able to take a quick trip to England on the Chunnel train without interruption.  We have been able to use public transportation within Paris without a problem.  One, minor problem we did experience:  the newspapers were not delivered to the news stands on Tuesday. 

So, today we decided to go see if we could find the strike.  We took the 85 bus from our neighborhood to the end of the line at Les Jardin du Luxembourg, thinking we might find a demonstration there.  But it was quiet.  So, being part-time Parisians, we stopped for lunch at a cafe.  Soon we were rewarded, and not only with a good lunch.  A “manifestation” of a few hundred people came marching toward us on Boulevard Saint-Michel, and then turned on Rue de Vaugirard toward the Senate (which is schedule to vote on the retirement change).  After finishing our wine and “un cafe”, we followed them.

The French public safety system was quietly in charge.  The street in front of the building where the Senate meets was blocked by police vehicles and a line of officers with plastic shields.  The marchers were forced to turn down a narrow side street.  In a little while they returned waiving their banners and chanting.  We waited, and took a few pictures, but nothing happened.  More flag waiving and chanting, but still nothing happened.  Gradually the crowd began to leave and we took the bus back home.

The purpose of the manifestation seemed not so much an attempt to prevent a change in the retirement system as to make a public statement of opposition.  We know you will change the system, but at least we made our point clearly and we got on the evening news around the world.