So maybe some of you have seen poupplar uprising this past months in numerous contries such as Liban, Irak, Chile... and France. I was on strike today, the "Ministère de l'Intérieure (ahem an organization about the security in the interior of the country) said that we were 806 000 people striking today, and that only the people taking the street, with, I, your humble servitor, in the whole mess. An union, the CGT said we were close to a million and a half.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I was so hyped, happy and whole since a long time... although I was gassed four times. Damn that hurts!!!!
I haven't done a strike in two years so it was a bog deal to me! Even if it's dangerous, that whole neoliberal and trickle-down approach of our elected leader (monarch?) and his government means that I take the risk, no matter what.
If you want me to give you some news about it, I will gladly do it.
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Yes Talyyn, I would like to know what is really going on from someone who is actually there. The press is famous for distorting the facts, and I am never sure I understand what is really going on, and why.
Is it really about Macron attempting to re-write the complete pension system?
So, If I understood well, we have today a re distributive system that, for particular, give pensions for when you retire. The argument from the government (and it's despicable majority in my opinion), is that you have too much subsystems for different professions, and that it is too unequal (mind you, they say that these workers are privileged) and allegedly too costly.
So they want to replace it with a unique system with the fact that "1 euro worked means... a saved "earning" that I don't know what the quantity will be.
They want you to retire later too, because the other countries did it too, and apparently, it makes France less competitive. Mind you that I am not a economist and am biased too. Another thing they want to do is to make a regressive earning for pension, if you retire earlier.
@Talyyn
Seems like they are trying to push it more towards what the US has. A total joke of a pension/retirement system.
Like I personally consider any money out of my paycheck that goes out to pay S.S. Is money mostly lost.
At least it does sort of help out current retirees (a little bit.) I fully expect only a small fraction of that money I pay in will be available to me when I retire, even if I wait until 69.5 to do it. Then you consider how much opportunity loss is on that money, (If I took said money and put it in a broad spectrum index fund, where I can expect ~10 percent a year on it.) For 20+ years, plus all the years I already paid into the system, which adds up to a lot of money. And you realize it is wholesale rip off.
I get why you want to rise up against that. It seems to late here in the US maybe france can resist it.
The state/cities with the most 'generous' pension plans are rapidly heading toward insolvency (Illinois for example). The problem is that when labor negotiations occur, politicians are to quick to make totally unrealistic commitments to future money, which come due long after they're out of office.
Fascinating stuff, brings back some memories ; I was a committed unionist all of my working life. Went on strike a few times.
Australia has a national superannuation scheme. Fortunately, I also kept my employer super, to which I contributed 10% of my salary for the last decade .(was pretty sure I would retire early, and I did)
My employer matched my contributions. Super is only buying tomorrow's money at today's prices.
A word of advice; save as much as you can for your retirement. It takes decades for any new super system to begin to work as intended, if it ever does,. In my experience, politicians are far too incompetent or stupid to be trusted with anything complex.
@ Talyyn
That was the thing I most admired and loved about France and the French. The ability to strike, protest and demand at the drop of a hat, British Lamb or a conservative (by comparison) politician...that is (apart from the 1000 other reasons I love the place). In the teeth of the TRG, good on you.
Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, where France led in the Revolution we should all have followed. Lopping the heads off the bulk of the aristos certainly has a refreshing effect on the country down the road of history.
Avance Talyyn! Solidarite!
Not sure I admire a tendency to strike over anything.
My Public Service Union went on strike over inadequate staffing in 1982, from memory. That was the first time we had been on strike since the Federation of Australia in 1901.
We received no strike pay, so most of us were reluctant to sacrifice a day's pay without a very good reason. Unfortunately, the decision to strike was done by show of hands at public meetings, rather than secret ballot ,which was logistically difficult.
Me? Yeah, I've been to France and think Paris is the moist beautiful city I've ever seen. Contrary to reputation I found most the of French people I met civil and very patient with my poor French.
"Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, where France led in the Revolution we should all have followed. Lopping the heads off the bulk of the aristos'
It wasn't just 'aristos'. It was whomever had fallen out of the current wave perceived as an 'obstacle' (atheist thinker Thomas Paine escaped only through luck).. It was much more like the murderous Bolsheviks or the Mao-lings and should be a warning to us today.
@ Never
All revolutions end like that soon after the major upheaval. The Bolsheviks original aim was not to establish gulags or even to execute the Royal Family. But, yes, it happened and that can be squarely laid at the door of the Russian aristocracy and their refusal to modernise and educate...oh and their greed of course.
However in France, the amputation of the diseased limb of society (the aristos) despite the excesses of the revolution stood that country in good stead for the future.
If it had happened in England we maybe would not have Eton churning out Johnsons, Rees-moggs, Camerons and the ilk to the detriment of all.
Thank you Talyyn, I think I understand the situation better.
I spent my working life working very hard to establish a well-paying job, that carried a pension that reflected that. So if I was a victim of a government that basically was attempting to dissolve my hard work and reduce my pension, I would be out with pitchforks and torches.
@Cranky47
I agree that we should not strike anytime for anything, but you must understand the level of distrust we have for our politicians and the highest social class. Of course, in particular if we are in the private services/societies, we will sacrifice a lot.
@Old man shouts...
Thank you Old man! And yet since a few years already, in matters of repression, France has been warned by the UN, the European court of human rights and Amnesty International.
@David Killens
This is the point. But the project of law will normally be presented next week so we'll see. Maybe we are indeed egoistical..or not.
@Talyn
"I agree that we should not strike anytime for anything, but you must understand the level of distrust we have for our politicians and the highest social class. Of course, in particular if we are in the private services/societies, we will sacrifice a lot."
Just so.
It has always gratified me that Australians generally have a healthy contempt for politicians, clergy and the obscenely wealthy .
Our current Prime Minister ,Scott Morrison is a happy clapper who prays in emergencies . His attitude to climate change is one of patronising dismissal. This is not a national leader who inspires confidence. To be fair, those have been pretty thin on the ground in my lifetime . (I'm 72)
We have a national characteristic called "the tall poppy syndrome". We like to cut tall poppies down to size. That really only refers to people who get up themselves .
Don't believe anyone who tells you Australia does not have a class system . Australia has also been criticised as having 'a culture of envy'
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"Tall poppy syndrome refers to an occurrence mainly in Australia and New Zealand, when individuals get criticized for being more successful than others. In some cases individuals who are overcome by their success, fame and fortune believe that they are above the law. In this case the term “tall poppy” is used to remind that law eventually catches up with everyone. More positively, the term “tall poppy” is used to refer to scholars, who have done outstanding work and need to be recognised for it [1].
In the Oxford dictionary of New Zealand English “tall poppy” is defined as a person with conspicuously successful person.” In Australia, Oxford dictionary defines tall poppy as “especially well paid, privileged or distinguished person” [5].
https://syndromespedia.com/tall-poppy-syndrome.html
@cranky47:
In New Zealand at least the tall poppy effect is part of the envy culture. If someone excels in any field (except sport), they are inevitably targeted for that other delightful feature of our culture--white-anting. That's the process where petty people start slander campaigns about successful individuals on radio talk-back and social media, with the aim of negating or belittling their achievements.
The mediocre shall inherit the Earth.
@Algebe
"The mediocre shall inherit the Earth."
Going by politics, the public service and virtually all TV presenters, they already have have.
I'm afraid it's become a case of "the bland leading the bland" (Tarquin S Shagnasty)