PARIS:
Members working in the energy sector cut off power to construction sites at the Olympic site for the Paris 2024 Games as well as the main Stade de France stadium on Thursday, a French trade union said.
Gas and electricity have been cut off to the sites as well as data centres, said Sebastien Menesplier, energy general secretary of the hard-line CGT union, which is stepping up action to block the government’s controversial pension reform.
Transport and other public services were disrupted in France for the third day in a row as unions continue to press for the government to abandon the plan.
President Emmanuel Macron’s government says raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 and tightening requirements for the full pension are essential to keep the system from running into deficits.
“When faced with a government that won’t back down, we refuse to back down,” Menesplier said.
“I ask the responsibility of the government and the president of the republic: remove your reform, electricians and gas workers will work for public service and common interest,” he added.
About three hundred workers took part in the action, they destroyed four main cables. Some wore hoods, raised their arms and lit smoke bombs to hide those who had turned off the electricity from the cells.
The electricity supplier then tried to work quickly remotely to restore supply to the affected areas.
Energy strikers have knocked out power to the Wildcats since Tuesday, plunging parts of the country into darkness.
Government spokesman Olivier Veran condemned the culling of the feral cats on Wednesday, while respecting the right to protest in the streets.
“We condemn the calls to bring our economy to its knees because it is irresponsible. “The only thing we want to bring to our knees is unemployment,” he added.
The government dealt a major legislative hurdle to the bill late Wednesday when the upper house of the Senate, dominated by the opposition right, approved a clause to raise the retirement age.
