French national strikes against pension reforms continue despite police repression

On January 31st, France saw widespread strikes as workers across the country took to the streets to protest against the government's proposed pension reforms.
Producer: T. Kelly
Videographer: Timothée Zourabichvili
Video editors: Timothée Zourabichvili & Leo Erhardt
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This story, with the support of the Bertha Foundation, is part of The Real News Network’s Workers of the World series, telling the stories of workers around the globe building collective power and redefining the future of work on their own terms.

[@kurtaikido2889]

This terrifies American aristocrats

[@asueft]

Not really, the Jab has made us weak and tired. Propaganda media likes to tell us that we're overworked🤣🤣🤣

[@kurtaikido2889]

These are actual stop work national strikes and that would have an impact in the US, and the ruling class is afraid of that. You are right propaganda is sweet I would suggest don’t watch those channels

[@tchirn]

I don't believe it does as Americans have plenty of reasons to demonstrate right now and do not! Translates into no cojones and the American aristocrats know it! Vive la France!

[@kurtaikido2889]

Agreed. The psiop has half Americans who are even eligible for unions ideologically opposed to them/opposition to their own best interests. So yeah, helpless people who benefit others to no benefit to themselves, perfect chattel. All I was saying is if they did do a national strike the aristocrats would poop their pants, and they are afraid they will rise up and do such. If we can’t clog the roads and stop commerce with strikers they will still be clogged later, just by the unemployed, sick and homeless same affect.

[@ctrl-del630]

This terrifies all Neocons the world over. Protests, uprisings, revolution and civil war is what they will try to prevent. However, history has taught us that when you push the people to far, something will snap. This is the first stage.

[@asueft]

Wow, French have more balls than Americans, who would've thought 🤔

[@BAMovin]

Us Americans are actually in worse shape then the French but we are too busy watching the stupor bowl.

[@kendavies945]

But mostly electing half-wits and morons like Reagan, Trump, Biden etc, etc

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

Heineken

[@johnmilanmusic7706]

GREAT TO SEE THE FRENCH STANDING UP FOR THEIR RIGHT TO RETIRE at a REASONABLE AGE!! USA citizens?? No BACKBONE...SHEEPLE 😫

[@johnsurguy9043]

We're just now getting to a point of holding police accountable, we have a long hard road ahead of us, so many things still need to be implemented, we are a young country but we should moved beyond so many of these "baby steps" we've taken as Americans

[@TheArmchairrocker]

Yep.

[@asueft]

Sad, but true 👍

[@ctrl-del630]

@@johnsurguy9043 I think you are right. America is like a 16 year old CEO running Amazon. This is bound to go wrong. This is a self correcting mechanism. But that takes time. A lot of time.

[@duancoviero9759]

We've been trained in "peaceful protest", look at America's past though. It didn't become the country it is today by "peaceful protest".

[@suntzu4075]

You have to applaud the French for their tenacity, next step is to identify thoes members of the police who have not demonstrated restraint and hold them individually accountable once the dust settles, thugs in uniform.

[@TheLifeOnHigh]

Millions of people on strike? Why the media silence of this story in the US? 😕

[@bobhope5114]

Why do you think?

[@duancoviero9759]

America hates anything that gives power to the people, they instantly put down any idea that goes against capitalism.

[@sharonnoble3877]

They're afraid the French will inspire resistance here.

[@duancoviero9759]

@@sharonnoble3877 yep, pull a Cuba

[@sharonnoble3877]

@@duancoviero9759 France is scarcely Cuba.

[@WolverineMKD]

French REVOLUTION WE SUPPORT YOU !

[@DeCleyre161]

America take note

[@thomasbowman2995]

Change the pension, way more money for retirement. I'm on a pension and I am in poverty. Burn the banks

[@johngalt5411]

All the wealth in this country has been created on the back of every American worker yet we get no share of that, it floats to the top.

[@TheArmchairrocker]

Americans have been taught to hate unions. This is what happens when most Americans trust corporations and millionaires more than they trust unions.

[@heartandsoul4520]

The protests may be working as the lower government in parliament is debating the retirement age as we speak and Macron may be challenged.

[@DOUBLEUPENTERTAINMENT9]

America needs to catch up 😂💯

[@asueft]

EXACTLY

[@TheArmchairrocker]

This is what America needs.

[@mikedonnarumma5337]

lets not forget that aristocrats and the guillotine go together very well

[@duancoviero9759]

I wish we could go back to those days

[@duancoviero9759]

Love the interviews with the real people on the ground 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@pdfgotwreckedbyasmracwolvi8205]

All your younger years and good health are used up working, then get to an age where you think you can enjoy the fruits of your labor then they make you work even longer, if you even live that long, so what about manual laborers like road workers, scaffolders, hod carriers etc, how they gonna get on, its ok for politicians who sit in there parliaments at 65 yrs old falling asleep while getting paid, RESPECTS TO THE FRENCH FOR SHOWING SOLIDARITY AND MINERALS ✌✌✌✌✌✌✌✌

[@guidocasero1178]

There seems to be solidarity in France even the young are turning out, we don't have that here not sure why but for what I have learned watching podcast is there seems to be more vibrant left in France than in America, 2 my guess and only mine is that the Democratic part pins us against each other

[@nicoles3166]

i don’t think it’s the democratic part i think it’s that they have always had more than a two party system so it’s a lot easier theoretically to have your views represented there than in the usa with two massive corporate parties who don’t give a fuck about working people

[@sheilagolden8674]

Maybe if we turned out for the young people they would turn out for us.

[@sparklemotion8377]

The left sabotaged themselves and that's why Macron won the election even though nobody wants him. Nobody is left in politics.

[@donalda7216]

Stay strong, stand for freedom and democracy. Human rights to France .GOD BLESS FREEDOM FIGHTERS UNITED AROUND THE WORLD. WE ARE WITH YOU! FAIR TREATMENT & DIGNITY

[@stardazzler5096]

Look at that America, no bashings or killing by police, look an learn

[@caseytithof]

✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏻🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@rfiskillingussoftly6568]

Viva la France!!! Thanks Next!! You all Rock! 💪❤️🍁

[@Elainerulesutube]

Hands off our pensions!

[@stuartgordon8130]

The French are not as Apathetic as us in the UK.

[@TheArmchairrocker]

Or America. The French government fears it's citizens. Not America. The American government kills it's citizens. This happens in America- dead and injured protesters.

[@ctrl-del630]

This is the result of a completely misalignment of the government and the citizens of a country. Not only France. Listen to these people talking. They don't ask for gold, not for Rolex and Ferarri's. All they want is a reasonable pension... for their kids and beyond. Here I come to my second point.... Another thing that is not exclusdive for France. In the past, when I was young. Yeah, yeah that was a number of years ago, I can remember that governments planned 10,15, 20 years ahead. Nowadays it is okay when they make it through to the next elections.

[@radicalgreek99]

What happened to the yellow vests?

[@hugh8090]

They wear orange now

[@DeCleyre161]

They got co-opted by fascists

[@johnblack6161]

Same people different colour vests.

[@publicutility]

French fries are freedom. WOW United

[@carlbowles1808]

The USA has this problem too. Reforms of the 1980's prevented insolvency, we must soon do them again so that today's young people will have pensions as well. Reforms without sacrifices is popular but unattainable. There is no such thing as a free lunch. You get what you pay for and pay for what you get. I wish France the best possible outcome.

[@scottdavis3571]

The police are never on the side of the people.

[@jeffreyhowll1392]

Hi Al

[@iam1745]

✨⚡️⚡️💖☀️💖⚡️⚡️✨

[@bobhope5114]

2.0

[@Cchouette]

Citizens fight for their fundamental rights 🇫🇷✊🏻 impeachment for macron 👎🏻⚖️⛓️

[@beesmonk]

The amount of systematic violence from the cops in so called France is on another level although not seen here unfortunately but the cops here are brutal to the people here no matter what thx 4 video

[@H0L0D0M0R_SURVIVOR_XIV]

Oy vey shut it down! G knows!

[@MrLeooreo]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💪🇺🇸

[@lollypop2413]

Australians retire 67

[@Manuellllllljby7]

thats horrible lol

[@angelachanelhuang1651]

You ask for help from HEINEKEN...big surprise

[@mikecorbeil]

I am not sure what the problem is. In the USA and Canada, retirement age is normally 65, for govt pensions anyway. I am on pensions in Canada, will be 66 next ,month, March 2023, always lived in the USA and Canada, and have always known/learned that govt pensions begin at age 65. France is a whole other matter, and I guess that the problem is due to politics in that country. I do not have information about it, so .....

[@elvirredzepovic6898]

"I do not have information about it, so ....." And yet here you are spewing shit. So murican of you. Go play with guns.

[@Max-rw8nc]

Let's take a hypothetical scenario: The Canadian government has just decided to increase the retirement age from 65 to 68 arbitrarily and now you have to keep working. You'd probably be angry too. If not you, other people would.

[@sparklemotion8377]

Did you watch the video or do just want to make this about yourself?

[@duancoviero9759]

@@sparklemotion8377 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@l.w.paradis2108]

@@Max-rw8nc It's not just that. Most French people don't stop working. They find another job that they really like, something part-time of course, or they open their own shop. Or if they were a professional, they retain the clients they really liked. When they retire is when they get to do what they've always wanted. They're not unproductive. It's not a custom to just veg out.

[@kokorico06]

Why do I feel EU will become worse than Latin American economical situation. Look at this guy and u know exactly why

[@9701jamieb]

They need to work harder so Greese dosen't have to.........

[@davidcanatella4279]

Rothschild dismision

[@nicoles3166]

lol what

[@TheArmchairrocker]

Dude needs to take more care when applying his makeup.

[@carlbowles1808]

😆😅🤣😂🙃

[@jeromebahala6360]

it only means, french economy is falling

[@johnblack6161]

What about the US,33 trillion in debt,more billionaires than anywhere else on the planet, and what does Trump and the rest do, lets give you trillion more in tax cuts, SMFH,you dont know what your talking about, theres plenty of money, The only trouble its in the wrong hands.

[@donkeyshot8472]

the retirement age in france is 62, while in almost all ofthe rest of europe it has been 65, often since the end of the second world war. in short, the french workers are complaining about "hardships" that almost everyone else in europe has endured for the last 75+ years: with all due respect, but what are they complaining about?

[@TurdJesus]

Did you even watch the video?

[@arthurfourcade9633]

Then please work til you die

[@TheArmchairrocker]

It should never have been 65 but they want their slaves to work themselves to the grave.

[@nicoles3166]

just because you are a bootlicker doesn’t mean anyone else has to accept those standards. people should not have to work after 55. people should be encouraged to work for their communities not be forced to be able to pay rent and have warm meals. you make me sick. the lumpenproletariat strikes again…

[@randyhilton6629]

Stop blaming others and sweep your own stoop.

[@younate1982]

Dear France, and the rest of the planet... this is EXACTLY why you should NEVER trust government with anything you value. They force you to accept their contracts, but are under no obligation to fill those contracts. At least in the private sector, you can sue for breach of contract.

[@blixten2928]

It's the corporate capture of government that is the problem (see also UK postal workers' strike). If a government is democratic - it will listen to the unions. A lot of voters. A government controlled by the private sector, which you extol, does exactly what it, or rather its rich friends and funders, want (see also 2008 crisis; oil companies' billion-dollar profits during energy inflation crisis; etc. etc.).