The battle lines are being drawn, the tear gas and the placards stockpiled. France is preparing for a political war that is unlikely to be over by Christmas. Nicolas Sarkozy, the hyperactive new President, is taking on the self-proclaimed defenders of the rights of the French worker, the unions. Not any old unions either, but the railway workers, miners, fishermen, employees of the vast national electric company and many of the country's bureaucrats who, as they have proved on numerous occasions, are capable of paralysing the country. This week Sarkozy is expected to announce that he will end the generous special retirement packages enjoyed or anticipated by the 1.6 million Frenchmen and women they represent and spark the first major clash of his presidency. 'If the government has already made a decision and is going to try to impose it, then there will be a major conflict,' said François Chereque, one railway union chief. A second, Bernard Thibault, promised 'sport ... and not just on the rugby pitch'. The threats of industrial strife are not idle. The last time a government tried to deprive train drivers of the right to retire at 50 on a full wage, a three-week nationwide strike immobilised the country and forced an ignominious retreat. But Sarkozy has signalled his determination to continue with the reform. Last week he called the special pension deals, which cost the French taxpayer £3bn a year, 'a disgrace'.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the hyperactive new President, is taking on the self-proclaimed defenders of the rights of the French worker, the unions. Not any old unions either, but the railway workers, miners, fishermen, employees of the vast national electric company and many of the country's bureaucrats who, as they have proved on numerous occasions, are capable of paralysing the country.
This week Sarkozy is expected to announce that he will end the generous special retirement packages enjoyed or anticipated by the 1.6 million Frenchmen and women they represent and spark the first major clash of his presidency.
'If the government has already made a decision and is going to try to impose it, then there will be a major conflict,' said François Chereque, one railway union chief. A second, Bernard Thibault, promised 'sport ... and not just on the rugby pitch'.
The threats of industrial strife are not idle. The last time a government tried to deprive train drivers of the right to retire at 50 on a full wage, a three-week nationwide strike immobilised the country and forced an ignominious retreat. But Sarkozy has signalled his determination to continue with the reform. Last week he called the special pension deals, which cost the French taxpayer £3bn a year, 'a disgrace'.
O how I wish I were there for this... Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh
it took the poll tax to get the phlegmatic brits to say 'basta', the french have a much lower flash point.
in fact i raise a glass to the french's forerunner role in showing despots what to do with their decisions.
what is it about the french?
sarko is like a cocky bantam weight taking on a truck.
it will be fun seeing him meet his come-uppance, the rate history is accelerating, it shouldn't be long... ~Government budget deficits are not nearly as dangerous as the deficits we have created in vital and complex natural systems.~ Naomi Klein.
Suspect we'll have a better idea how things will play out on Tuedsay night... Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh
Don't folow UK politics closely enough (it depresses me almost as much as US politics, so why bother) to know if I should've stopped caring before then.
If anyone knows of an English-language daily generally worth the paper it's printed on, I'm all ears... Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh
I stopped going there back in Iraq run-up days because they had Fisk behind a firewall. Seemed a pity the only Engligh language journalist who would right twice weekly how full of shit the Americans were and he was behind the firewall.
I went back there today, and now he isn't. Wonder when that happened. Tho' I also seem to recall stormy having mixed feelings about the man and his integrity... Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh
