THE STRIKE IN FRANCE LASTS FOR A MONTH HIT A RECORD OF LONGEVITY SINCE 1986

USPA NEWS - The General French strike against the reform of the pensions entered, today, in its 30th day, that is to say in a month of strike, without an outcome to the conflict despite the attempts of negotiations between Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and the union´s leaders . Since the wishes of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, who addressed the French, the night of December 31, on TF1, 8 pm, had asked his prime minister to "find a rapid compromise" in these negotiations on the pension reform. He also explained that he wanted "The reform to be carried out to the end" and this, in a context of hardship hardened by transport unions, but also of certain liberal professions (Lawyers, Nurses, ...) despite negotiation meetings scheduled for next week.

A MONTH OF CONTINUOUS STRIKE IN FRANCE HAS BEEN A RECORD SINCE 1986-87--------------------------------- One month days of continuous strike is a record at SNCF in France is entering its 30th day, (The strike began on December 5, 2019) the strike movement at SNCF breaks the record for the social conflict in winter 1986-1987, which had lasted 28 days. At the time, the agents mobilized to protest against a new salary scale. The strike therefore took hold despite the drop in the rate of strikers at the SNCF which is 6.9% for the entire railway undertaking. However, these are mainly train drivers, hence the blocking of trains, or a third of drivers (33.9%) who are still on strike, as well as 18.2% of controllers, according to SNCF. The transportation paralysis is also explained by the disruption of metro and buses, the RATP, because there is only one metro line (7bis) remains completely closed in Paros. The two lines (1 and 14) operate normally, while the thirteen others operate partially, and only on certain time slots and with reduced frequency. All this causes congestion in public transport in Paris which blocks travelers and commutes to work. According to the polls, the head of state, who asked the government to work on a "quick compromise", did not convince the unions opposed to the project, in particular the CGT, UNSA. The political opposition of the extreme left and funny considered that these wishes brought "Nothing" according to Marine Le Pen and a « declaration of war to the French who are on strike "according to Jean Luc Melenchon.

SEVEN OF THE EIGHT FRENCH REFINERIES ARE THE TARGET OF BLOCKAGES-------------------------------------------- Currently, seven of the eight French refineries are the target of blockages. Five depend on the Total group, two on Esso (Exxon-Mobil) and one on Petroineos. Only the Esso refinery in Notre-Dame-de-Gravenchon (Seine-Maritime) has been spared so far. For each refinery, the unions implemented different blockages: total blocking in Grandpuits (Seine-et-Marne), blocking in 72-hour periods in Donges (Loire-Atlantique), blocking only on days of interprofessional mobilization in Feyzin ( metropolitan area of Lyon)“¦ Overseas, access to the Société anonyme de la Raffinerie des Antilles (Sara) in Lamentin (Guadeloupe) and the Grand maritime port at Fort-de-France (Martinique) have also been blocked several times. Source France Info

61% OF FRENCH PEOPLE THINK STRIKE IS « JUSTIFIED » ACCORDING TO POLLS According to the Odoxa-Dentsu Consulting study for Le Figaro and France Info, 46% of those polled are calling for the pivot age to be dropped. According to a Odoxa-Dentsu Consulting survey for Le Figaro and France Info, 61% of French people consider that the mobilization against the pension reform is "justified". Although still a large majority, the number fell by 5 points in two weeks, reflecting a certain weariness with the movement. And for good reason, three out of four Ile-de-France residents (75%) say they were personally affected, compared to almost one in two French people (44%). Source: Le Figaro NURSES DOCTORS AND LAWYERS (80% OF THE FRENHC BAR) ARE JOINING THE STRIKE-------------------------- Since yesterday, nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists and doctors are called to mobilize to join the strike against government reform. So are lawyers (80% of the Bar) and chartered accountants, who plan to go on strike on January 6. The SOS Retraites collective which brings together 16 professions, all of which have an independent pension fund.From Monday January 6 and Tuesday, the strike will affect the airline sector and Air France in particular. The second union of pilots Spaf calls for mobilization Monday and Tuesday, the second union of hostesses and stewards SNGAF wants, for its part, a strike "from Monday to Thursday » . Negotiations between the government and the unions resume on January 7. The essential points on which the discussions and negotiations are concentrated relate to the arduousness and the management of end of career, On the other hand, according to a survey by Odoxa, 78% of French people wish that the government modify or withdraw the project of the reform of retirement. As for the unions, including the CGT and FO, they demand an outright withdrawal from the universal retirement system project vet whatever the conditions offered .. To be continued