French Doctors, Lawyers, Pilots Protest Pension Reforms

Date: 17 September 2019 - 21:24

News ID: ۷۰۵۸۵

PARIS (France 24) - Lawyers in flowing black courtroom gowns, doctors in white coats and uniformed airline pilots have marched through Paris to protest at French President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms.
Macron’s government has just launched one of the most ambitious reforms of his presidency to merge 42 different pension systems into a single points-based system. Macron says it will be fairer, but some professions say they will lose out.
"All the professions here have handled their funds well,” said Air France pilot Thierry Oriol who was one of several hundred protesters who marched through the centre of Paris, shouting slogans, blowing whistles and carrying placards demanding their pension schemes be left alone.
"Today the government should really be asking us ‘How is it you’ve got a fund which is prosperous?’ rather than trying to take it off us without any debate,” he said.
Late last week, Paris public transport workers went on strike over the plans to reform their pension scheme, causing transport misery for commuters.
Wary of huge demonstrations that have dogged previous pension reform plans, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, a Macron ally, promised on Thursday to take the time to listen to unions and broader public opinion.
The CFDT, France’s biggest union, is cautiously open to reforming the pension system to make it fairer, but other unions are opposed outright and have promised a fight.