It was the tenth day of inter-professional mobilization against the pension reform. In Paris, the departure took place from Montparnasse around 2 p.m. towards Place d'Italie, joined shortly after 4 p.m.
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Shortly before 1 p.m., the very small number of people present on the site raised fears of a flop at the intersyndicale (CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, FIDL, MNL, UNL and UNEF). "There is no one because they announced the fleet," said a union member, laughing. But the demonstrators finally arrived late, giving birth to a procession all the same provided. According to the CGT, there were 50,000 demonstrators in the capital while the Interior Ministry counted 7800 demonstrators (against 15,000 during the previous mobilization, on February 6).
"There are still quite a few people," reassured a protester while at the PA, a unionist exclaimed in an ironic tone: "You are no longer motivated?" Is there no one left on the street as they say on TV? ”
In the procession: "yellow vests", caregivers, railway workers, teachers, students, sewer workers or even lawyers. Some still believed strongly in withdrawing the text and a renewed mobilization. "We are continuing to mobilize and we will continue to demand the withdrawal of this reform," said Eric, a railway worker at the Gare du Nord, for example.
A little further, one of his colleagues abounded: "Dejection? Have you seen the world there is despite the school holidays? It will start again at the start of the school year. We will stay there until Macron removes this law . ” Words that ultimately echo those of Philippe Martinez. Let go? "Ah no, it is not on the agenda , " insisted the number one of the CGT at the start of the Parisian procession.
The lawyers, more numerous than during previous interprofessional demonstrations, also seemed particularly determined. They still denounce the disappearance of their autonomous plan and the doubling of their retirement contributions. "We want to maintain our autonomous fund, which we financed ourselves and which is in surplus," explained Anne Greco, lawyer in Paris.
A new inter-union meeting was scheduled this Thursday evening to decide on the continuation of the movement. For its part, the bill has been examined since Monday in the National Assembly in an electric atmosphere. The deputies must parse some 41,000 amendments and the examination turned to blocking on Wednesday.