Well firstly my original flight was cancelled because of strikes so I had to take an extra day of work, which seeing as I don't get much holiday until May, is very annoying. Next our plane was delayed coming into Lyon by about an half hour. Usually that wouldn't of been a problem but I arrived straight from work, that is to say I was about 3 hours early and Lyon airport is certainly not Terminal 4 Heathrow in terms of services on offer. Once we had violently boarded the plane, as one does for Easyjet, we were informed by the pilot that "We will not be leaving for another hour and a half" and that "I have packed you in like sardines because I hate the French and their strikes and I have looked at the manifest and some of you are french. See it's not difficult to throw one's toys out of one's pram."
To be honest don't quote me on that because in my haze of rage I don't think I was listening properly and it was probably something more like "I had to board you now so that if a space opens early we can leave."
As you might or might not know the French are on strike over the raising of the retirement age. As far as I can gather these are the proposals:
• The "Âge d'ouverture des droits" (Age of entitlement) is to be raised from 60 to 62 (in 2018). Germany is 63, GB is going from 62.5 to 68 in 2046 (this I didn't know about), USA is at 62, Belgum is at 60, Holland is going from 65 to 67 and japan is going from 60 to 65. I think this is the age where you have a right to retire(?) I'm not totally sure how retirement works generally.
• Nest is the "Âge de la Pension Complète" (Age at which you "Complete" your pension contributions). So in France, germany and holland it is to go from 65 to 67 (in '23, '29 and soon, respectfully). GB is going from 62.5 to 68 in 2046. USA is going from 66 to 67 in 2027.
• Lastly the duration for which one has to contribute to get a full pensions is to be raised from 40.25 to 41.5.
So no huge changes and certainly none any "worse" than any other country. Also it is interesting how they frame the time it takes to get a full pension. This is in fact: if you work longer than X years you will not get a bigger pension.
So compare these really quite modest changes to the reaction of the unions. They have been on numerous strikes. Endless days of it. Fuel is going to run out, 1500 out 12000 fuel stations are going to close. Lorry drivers are going to drive slow around major cities. Half of the flights to and from Paris have been cancelled. There have been roits over this. Even school have gone on strike. And listen to this, it's not just the teachers but students have. Further to that isn't not just university students with too much time on their hands it's children at high school blocking entry to the school.
Now I'm all for political engagement but when they are so completely wrong I'm not. <- I'm not being serious.
Sorry for the rant.
