French police clashed with protesters in Paris and Nantes as public sector workers across the country went on strike against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to cut back the state sector. Tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, and other workers joined rail staff in the first major strike since Macron took office.
Almost a third of Paris flights and most train services were cancelled, while electricity output fell. About 13% of teachers joined the walkout. The strikes are a major headache for Macron, who was elected on a promise to reform France's state sector, which employs 5.4 million people.
Macron intends to cut public sector jobs through voluntary redundancy and introduce merit-based pay. Rail staff fear his plans to end early retirement, job-for-life guarantees, and automatic yearly pay rises. Polls show a majority of French voters support the strikes, but an even larger majority back the reforms, forcing the government to proceed cautiously.
“Discontent and worry are spreading very quickly,” said Jean-Marc Canon, secretary-general of one of France's biggest unions, UGFF-CGT. Rail workers have promised three months of industrial action from 3 April, while public sector workers are meeting next week to discuss further action.
The strikes come on the 50th anniversary of the revolt of May 1968, which almost toppled the government. The strikers deliberately chose 22 March to echo the 1968 protests. The government is also mindful of the 1995 strikes, which forced a policy reversal. “What we need to avoid is that all the grievances fuse together, as was the case in 1995,” a government official told Reuters.
