French unions report up to 1.6 million participants in nationwide wage protests
Government workers, teachers and transport staff joined a national day of action in France, demanding higher wages amid rising living costs.
Thousands of public-sector employees across France walked off their jobs on Thursday, taking part in a coordinated day of action that saw around 200 rallies nationwide. The General Confederation of Labour (GCL) estimated that about 1.6 million people demonstrated, while the Interior Ministry reported a lower figure of roughly 600,000.
"Our salaries do not allow us to live anymore," GCL head Sophie Binet told CBS News, adding that President Emmanuel Macron "works for the rich, for the multinational and for the finance, not for the working people."
The protests, which briefly halted access to the Eiffel Tower, were also voiced by local officials. Mayor Bally Bagayoko of Saint-Denis said Macron is "incapable of bringing answers" and described the public as "fed up with having a society that is more and more privileged — the strongest in the world that leaves behind an ocean of inequalities."
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a meeting with union representatives on Monday, but organizers have already scheduled another demonstration for Saturday. Participants called for cuts to military and domestic law-enforcement spending and increased funding for social services.
Police used tear gas in several locations to disperse crowds, and incidents of property damage were reported, including a car set on fire in Lyon and objects burned on Paris streets. The unrest, which began in late September with student protests over school conditions, now enjoys broad public support, with surveys indicating that nearly six in ten French citizens back the demonstrations.