Mountains of rubbish in Paris as garbage collectors strike over pension reform
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Loading... - Chi-won Dahn
- 13 Mar 2023
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Rubbish is piling up in some posh parts of Paris as refuse collectors continue to strike against the government's unpopular pension reform bill. AP - Michel Euler
Thousands of tonnes of rubbish have piled up on streets across the French capital after a week of strike action by waste collectors against the government's pension reform – a key plank of President Emmanuel Macron's second term.
Work stoppages in three incineration plants outside the capital have left pavements covered in black bags and overflowing bins.
The capital's household waste agency Syctom said it has been re-routing dustbin lorries to other storage and treatment sites in the region and has yet to resort to calling in the police.
Paris city hall said on Sunday that 5,400 tonnes of waste remained uncollected.
City hall employees are in charge of picking up rubbish in half of Paris's districts, including the upmarket 5th, 6th and 16th arrondissements.
The other half is served by private firms which are not striking.
Rolling work stoppages
The hard-left CGT union, which represents a majority of refuse collectors in the capital, has declared a ‘rolling’ strike in protest over the government's pension reform.
According to the CGT, refuse collectors and drivers can currently draw a basic minimum pension from the age of 57.
Under the pension reform bill, currently going through parliament, they would have to work two more years.
Life expectancy for garbage workers is 12-17 years below the average for the country as a whole, the CGT says. Read More…
