French CGT, Sud Rail unions eye three more days of rail strikes over pension reforms

PARIS — French trade unions CGT and Sud Rail called on railway workers to take part in a nationwide strike on Jan. 31 over pension reform, and opt for further strike action on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8.

“Our federations are asking railway workers to strike en masse on Jan. 31 and to hold a meeting on Jan. 31 to decide whether to intensify their action through two consecutive days of strikes on Feb. 7 and Feb. 8,” the two unions said in a joint statement.

More than a million people marched through French cities on Jan. 19 to denounce President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age, with a wave of nationwide strikes halting trains, blocking refineries and curbing power generation.

Buoyed by their success, the leading trade unions called for a second day of strikes on Jan. 31 in a bid to force Mr. Macron and his government to back down on the pension reform plan that would see most people work an extra two years to age 64. — Reuters