Garbage has been piling up in Paris for days because of the seriousness of street cleaner Benoit Tessier / Portal 3/10/2023
The garbage bags piled up in Paris already weigh more than 5,000 tons. Due to the strike of the street sweepers, who according to the city hall are protesting against the social security reform for the seventh day in a row, the garbage in the city was not collected.
In addition to street sweepers, three incineration plants in the French capital region are also idle. In some neighborhoods, garbage bags take up the entire sidewalk.
Municipal agents collect all the garbage in half of the city, while the other half is managed by private companies.
The CGT union recalls that sweepers and garbage truck drivers can currently retire without bonuses at the age of 57, an age that would be postponed and raised to 59 if the reform were approved.
The project, supported by President Emmanuel Macron, aims to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. full board
“The majority of workers in waste and water management have a life expectancy that is 12 to 17 years lower than the rest of the workforce,” the union stresses.
Taking to the streets, most of the people interviewed by AFP this Sunday (12) expressed their support for the strike movement.
Garis “are the first victims of this reform because they often start working young and have a more difficult job than other people who sit in offices,” said Cristophe Mouterde, an 18yearold student.
“It’s terrible, there are mice and rats,” said Romain Gaia, a 36yearold pastry chef. However, he thinks it is an illusion to let street sweepers work longer.
“You have every reason to go on strike and you should let it go on longer,” says the pastry chef. “These are people who don’t normally have power, but when they stop working, they have real power,” he said.
The French Senate (upper house) approved the controversial reform on Saturday, which is expected to be voted on in the National Assembly (lower house) on Thursday (16th).