France: Youths Riot in Streets over Retirement Age

[101lifts2]

http://www.examiner.com/international-headlines-in-national/unrest-france-youth-take-to-streets-riots-over-retirment-age-turn-violent

I guess the students not only want guaranteed jobs for life, but they don't want to work past 60. Hint....ur socialistic economy can't afford it.

Unrest in France: Youth take to streets, riots over retirement age turn violent
October 20th, 2010 1:58 am ET.Do you like this story?
Unrest in France: Youth take to streets, riots over retirement age turn violent

FRANCE -- A proposed bill raising retirement age from 60 to 62 has been met with great opposition, with masked youth joining in protests that have turned violent just outside of Paris and in the southeastern city of Lyon.

UPDATE: Violence has increased - click here for AP article.

The youth, dressed in black, torched cars, smashed storefronts, and threw up roadblocks Tuesday. They clashed with riot police across France as protests over raising retirement age took a radical turn.

Things were so bad that hundreds of flights were canceled.

Oil refinery strikes and blockages emptied the pumps at nearly a third of the nation’s gas stations leaving drivers desperate and searching for gas.

If the bill is approved it will raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 to prevent the pension system from going bankrupt as citizens live longer and a diminishing pool of young workers pay into the system.

Protesters want to stop this bill – unions claim the move would erode France’s near-sacred tradition of generous social benefits that include long vacations, contracts that make it hard for employers to lay off workers and a state-subsidized health care system – in favor of “American-style capitalism.”

The AP reported that some 1.1 million people joined 260 protest marches across France on Tuesday, according to the Interior Ministry, though trade unions put the figure at three times that.

Youth threw stones at police which prompted police to use teargas. One Associated Press photographer was knocked off his motorbike and punched by the youths.

The most violent clashes occurred in Lyon, where rampaging youth torched garbage cans and cars and overturned bus stations. Numerous shops were pillaged. A second AP photographer was slightly injured.

In the Mediterranean port city of Marseille a strike by garbage collectors left the streets buried in heaps of trash.

"Transport, the rubbish, the nurses, the teachers, the workers, the white collar, everyone who works, we should all be united. If there is no transport today, we're not all going to die from it," said Francoise Michelle, a 55-year-old Marseille resident.

The bill generated a series of nationwide protests that began in early September, and those protests have been largely peaceful.

Another highly unpopular labor bill proposed in 2006 was abandoned when similar protests by students took place.

President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed Tuesday to guarantee public order in the face of “troublemakers.” The Associated Press reported that the government announced a plan to pool gasoline stocks so that dry stations can be filled.

"There are people who want to work, the immense majority, and they cannot be deprived of gasoline," Sarkozy said.

Thursday students plan a day of mobilization with a demonstration in Paris hours before the Senate is to vote on the retirement measure.

"The government will continue to dislodge protesters blocking the fuel depots. ... No one has the right to take hostage an entire country, its economy and its jobs," Prime Minister Francois Fillon said after meeting with oil industry executives.

While street protests is nothing new in France, the current strife is particularly worrisome because it has touched the vital energy sector and is drawing often volatile youth into the mix.

[Particle Man]

"But I am Le Tired!"

"Well, have a nap.... THEN FIRE ZEE MISSILES!"

[Trip]

"But I am Le Tired!"

"Well, have a nap.... THEN FIRE ZEE MISSILES!"

i love that cartoon

[Dave]

Hello peoples republic of haven

[Homeslice]

Morons....

But, Americans have the same mentality when it comes to pension/benefit issues.....

"Oh, we've always gotten it before, so it's our "right" to keep getting it!"

[Kaneman]

That would totally suck if people were assured they could have a decent retirement and not have to work 'til they died. Fuck people.

[goof2]

Morons....

But, Americans have the same mentality when it comes to pension/benefit issues.....

"Oh, we've always gotten it before, so it's our "right" to keep getting it!"

Sure, and that is the reason politicians are afraid to go near Social Security and Medicare. Look at the stories being written about SS simply because there will be no cost of living increase next year as a result of the government saying their has been no inflation. Another example would be the treatment Bush's SS reform plan received and continues to receive.

That would totally suck if people were assured they could have a decent retirement and not have to work 'til they died. Fuck people.

What a horrendous state of affairs this is. After this change the average French citizen will only have 29.5 years to enjoy their state funded retirement instead of the current 31.5 years. Goddamn the French government for being unable to pay for more than three decades of "decent retirement".:skep:

[Homeslice]

Sure, and that is the reason politicians are afraid to go near Social Security and Medicare. Look at the stories being written about SS simply because there will be no cost of living increase next year as a result of the government saying their has been no inflation. Another example would be the treatment Bush's SS reform plan received and continues to receive.


Exactly. But people always try to claim inflation is constant :rolleyes:

[Papa_Complex]

Typical of the young, to be lacking in math skills. If the retirement age is increased then old fuckers have to work longer, reducing the drain on Federal resources. That means by the time they retire, they might even be able to drop the age again. If the age of retirement doesn't change, then they will be paying higher taxes to cover the people who are no longer earning a wage.

Dumbasses.

[tallywacker]

Working till your dead is a given, It's a new cool idea in history to think your entitled to ANYTHING.

[goof2]

Typical of the young, to be lacking in math skills. If the retirement age is increased then old fuckers have to work longer, reducing the drain on Federal resources. That means by the time they retire, they might even be able to drop the age again. If the age of retirement doesn't change, then they will be paying higher taxes to cover the people who are no longer earning a wage.

Dumbasses.

Jeez, what is wrong with you. Don't you know money from the government is free? They are just being stingy about the whole thing. Those dirty bastards are practically working their citizens to death by only giving them an average of 29 years of retirement.:lol:

[Homeslice]

Or how about how US state/federal workers think they deserve a pension even if they are just some desk jockey. :rolleyes:
Those dumbasses should try working in the private sector.....They'd probably work longer hours and STILL get no pension.

[Captain Morgan]

This doesn't seem much different than our problems with SS. Was just talking with co-workers today and we figure one of two things will happen with SS. A. it will go bankrupt before we reach an age to be paid any SS money. B. collection age will be raised to 90 in order to keep SS "profitable"

[goof2]

This doesn't seem much different than our problems with SS. Was just talking with co-workers today and we figure one of two things will happen with SS. A. it will go bankrupt before we reach an age to be paid any SS money. B. collection age will be raised to 90 in order to keep SS "profitable"

Unless something changes SS is nothing more than a black hole. When the system was created only something like 1 in 7 people were expected to collect. That math has significantly changed but the SS system has not adapted. Under the current system SS is unsustainable.

Also, my math was off. I screwed up and added 10 years to everything. It is actually going from an average of 21.5 years to 19.5 years for French citizens after retirement.

[101lifts2]

Typical of the young, to be lacking in math skills. If the retirement age is increased then old fuckers have to work longer, reducing the drain on Federal resources. That means by the time they retire, they might even be able to drop the age again. If the age of retirement doesn't change, then they will be paying higher taxes to cover the people who are no longer earning a wage.

Dumbasses.

You know damn well the govt. will never "give back" anything. Silly you. :lol:

It is really amazing that the youth would be worrying about retirement at this age, but when you groom someone to be dependant upon the government for most things, you inherently see this menality.

[Tmall]

Can't wait till I'm eligible to retire at 48. Could have been 43, but I signed a 25 year contract. :lol:

[tommymac]

Or how about how US state/federal workers think they deserve a pension even if they are just some desk jockey. :rolleyes:
Those dumbasses should try working in the private sector.....They'd probably work longer hours and STILL get no pension.

Dont forget many of the union workers in the US, its all the same mentality.

[Captain Morgan]

Or how about how US state/federal workers think they deserve a pension even if they are just some desk jockey. :rolleyes:
Those dumbasses should try working in the private sector.....They'd probably work longer hours and STILL get no pension.

Federal workers no longer get a pension. It's basically a 401k, the same as most other jobs these days. The one thing we do get, that most companies don't offer, is our health insurance stays the same when we retire as it is when we're employed. Granted, that will likely change, but that's the plan as it currently stands.

[derf]

Can't wait till I'm eligible to retire at 48. Could have been 43, but I signed a 25 year contract. :lol:

I retire at 43, and thats staying 5 years past when I could have first retired

[Mikey]

I retire at 43, and thats staying 5 years past when I could have first retired

I have to wait until I'm at least 44. I got a late start.

[Amorok]

I plan on workin when I'm in my 60s, of course I'll be on my third job with two pensions doing what I want to do.

[pauldun170]

side note...
My sister, who is going through her MBA program came over and talked about how the retirement age is going to be upped to 77.
I asked her where she heard that and she said "she thinks" it was in her textbook.
I recommended she double check before taking her next exam and if she needed help with any legal or regulatory stuff to give me a call.

summary....
The youth are precious, ignorant little things....

[derf]

I plan on workin when I'm in my 60s, of course I'll be on my third job with two pensions doing what I want to do.

Im with you, I think I might go after a state job after this, maybe teaching

[Hydrant]

side note...
My sister, who is going through her MBA program came over and talked about how the retirement age is going to be upped to 77.




The way things are going, she probably isn't to far off.

[Smittie61984]

Those dumbasses should try working in the private sector.....They'd probably work longer hours and STILL get no pension.

They would but McDonalds doesn't like to take chances.

I don't know why the French youth are rioting about retirement. Shouldn't the first thing they riot about be about getting employed? Though I'm sure France's labor protection laws have helped that out greatly. Why hire some unknown 22 year old who hasn't worked a day in their life and you can't fire them if they suck when you can hire a 30 year old who has experience and is shown to be a dependable worker?

[Papa_Complex]

They would but McDonalds doesn't like to take chances.

I don't know why the French youth are rioting about retirement. Shouldn't the first thing they riot about be about getting employed? Though I'm sure France's labor protection laws have helped that out greatly. Why hire some unknown 22 year old who hasn't worked a day in their life and you can't fire them if they suck when you can hire a 30 year old who has experience and is shown to be a dependable worker?

Riots in France are traditional. They don't need to have a real reason. Hell, they would tear the place down if there was a Jerry Lewis retrospective, and they didn't include "The Nutty Professor."

[goof2]

They would but McDonalds doesn't like to take chances.

I don't know why the French youth are rioting about retirement. Shouldn't the first thing they riot about be about getting employed? Though I'm sure France's labor protection laws have helped that out greatly. Why hire some unknown 22 year old who hasn't worked a day in their life and you can't fire them if they suck when you can hire a 30 year old who has experience and is shown to be a dependable worker?

Getting employment is one of the reasons French youths are rioting. They say making older people work two more years before they can collect their government retirement benefits forces more people to remain in an already overloaded workforce. The youth say this will further contract the number of already scarce job opportunities available to them. With France's onerous laws governing employment that you mentioned the youth may be right.

[Papa_Complex]

Getting employment is one of the reasons French youths are rioting. They say making older people work two more years before they can collect their government retirement benefits forces more people to remain in an already overloaded workforce. The youth say this will further contract the number of already scarce job opportunities available to them. With France's onerous laws governing employment that you mentioned the youth may be right.

If they hadn't filled their slums with immigrants who are willing to work for dirt, and do the jobs that those youth are "too good to do", then they might have less trouble finding jobs.

[tommymac]

If they hadn't filled their slums with immigrants who are willing to work for dirt, and do the jobs that those youth are "too good to do", then they might have less trouble finding jobs.

Sounds like another country we all know :lol:

[goof2]

Sounds like another country we all know :lol:

To the point that those who oppose it are branded as racists there too.

[Papa_Complex]

Sounds like another country we all know :lol:

Hmmmmm..... Reeeeaaaally? :lol: