France cheers on general strike for Xmas
Ramin Mazaheri
Press TV, Paris
Depending on one’s point of view, Christmas cheer in France was either dampened by the general strike or given a charge of revolutionary inspiration.
Christmas Eve was the 20th day of massive public transport shutdowns, job walk-offs, power cuts and new oil refinery strikes, as the general strike is reaching historic proportions.
Seven days of general striking forced President Emmanuel Macron to finally unveil the details of his unprecedented, one-size-fits-all system. Now France’s media is starting to admit the realities.
Eighty percent of the pension system is funded by huge monthly taxes on workers. Only 20% comes from state funding.
Like most other austerity measures, such as the privatization of France’s rail roads, the media is discovering that alleged fiscal inadequacies are grossly overrated and have been purposely provoked by years of the state cutting its small contributions.
Furthermore, Analysts say the EU’s obsession with annual budget balancing is making it incapable of long-term thinking. Life expectancy has seemingly peaked, and the passing of the Baby Boomer generation will dramatically reduce the number of pensioners by the 2030.
Unlike in 1995 the government has shut down negotiations, until January 7th, forcing the strike to continue over the entire holiday season. A majority of France supports the strikers, whose lack of wages may have them hoping that Santa Claus helps out this year.
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