French unions keep Macron’s finger on the pulse with another major protest

French unions showed this Tuesday that mobilization is against Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform does not give up on the sixth day of strikes and demonstrations. 700,000 people protested in Paris, according to the CGT. Although their numbers are usually five times higher than those recorded by the Police Prefecture, in any case there were some more people than in previous callswhich were already considered successful.

The only shadow was the increased presence of radical leftist and anarchist groups, which distracted from the tens of thousands of people who were peacefully protesting. From the first hour of the march, the so-called black blocks they confronted the forces of law and order by throwing a rain of cobblestones and several molotov cocktails at them, destroyed street furniture, banks and agencies and set fire to the roads to prevent the progress of the demonstration.

64% of TotalEnergy workers managed to stop deliveries from seven refineries French oil companies, and in some places the strike will continue: at least until Thursday in Gonfreville (Seine-Maritime) and until Friday in Donges (Loire-Atlantique). Although fuel does not leave the refineries, the tanks that supply 11,000 gas stations have full reserves, and a possible fuel shortage is ruled out for now.

Rail transport was heavily affected by the strike, with 39% strike and suspension of 4 out of 5 trains, high speed and interregional. The unions of the two companies hoped to mobilize the same number of strikers this Wednesday, although the frequency of trains will be higher – every third will be suspended.

RATP, the Paris public transport company, announced this Tuesday that the disruptions will continue this Wednesday, albeit with a noticeable improvement in suburban train and bus services, but with metro service severely affected.

As for air traffic, the Directorate of Civil Aviation previously asked companies to cancel 20% of flights from Charles de Gaulle airport, while 30% of connections were canceled in Orly and other provincial airports.

The figures announced by the Ministry of Education, 32.71 percent of the strikers, were slightly higher than those of the previous days of mobilization.

At the same time, in the Luxembourg Palace, the senators followed the debates on the pension reform and studied those who had just been insulted Article 7 who collects extension of the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The senatorial majority is in the hands of the right and the center, which are in favor of reform.

The unions, who are playing on their credibility with this mobilization, congratulated themselves on the “historic mobilization” and asked the government “not to turn a deaf ear”, even though it has so far refused to negotiate with the inter-union.