Thursday, November 15, 2007

Transit Strike


Day two here of the latest transit strike, the second in the three months that we have been here. At issue are the special pensions offered to bus, train, and subway workers which offer them the chance to retire at 50 after relatively short periods of service. Sarkozy is bound and determined to align these pensions with the less generous ones made available to other public employees.

The first strike back in October was quite orderly, beginning at 8 pm on a Wednesday and ending promptly at 8 pm on Thursday, just as announced. The response from the government: nothing. This latest strike is renewable after each 24 hour period, thus the spectre of a strike lingering on day after day. That means a one-hour walking commute each way for my husband. Taxis are working but the traffic is apparently pretty bad. I wouldn't know since I didn't venture out of the neighborhood yesterday.

Today is another story. I can't miss my French class so it's wait for the bus? wait for the metro? or just hoof it? Stay tuned.

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