French Unions Call for Jan. 31 Strikes to Halt Pension Changes

Demonstrators during a national strike against government plans to revamp the pension system, in Paris, on Jan. 19.Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

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By Benoit Berthelot

January 19, 2023 at 7:31 PM UTC

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French unions called for renewed strikes on Jan. 31 to step up pressure on President Emmanuel Macron to withdraw an increase in the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62.

Union-coordinated strikes brought significant disruption to France on Thursday as workers in sectors including railroads, schools and energy walked off their jobs. The Interior Ministry said 1.1 million people took part in the marches, including 80,000 in Paris. Unions estimated the turnout at more than 2 million.