On June 3, in a new round of union protests in France against a bill attacking retirement pensions, tens of thousands of teachers, flight controllers, train and subway drivers, truckers, journalists, postal workers, bank employees, and other workers walked off the job throughout the country. On May 28 the French cabinet approved the bill, which would require workers to labor for 42 years in order to receive a full pension—up from the current 37.5 years for public employees and 40 years for workers at private companies. Above, maritime workers in Marseille join May 13 actions that mobilized workers in cities across France. Over the past month hundreds of thousands have carried out rolling strikes and demonstrations against the government’s “pension reform” measures. The bosses and the government of President Jacques Chirac argue that the curbs on retirement benefits are needed because an aging workforce will strain the budget. The next step will be a vote in the French parliament, where the ruling Gaullist party, the Union for the Popular Movement, is pressing for approval before the summer recess.  
 
 
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