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France continues to be on the boil over proposed pension reforms

WION Web Team
New Delhi Updated: Dec 29, 2019, 09:41 AM IST

Men dressed with the firefighters uniform wave flags of the French trade union General Confederation of Labour (Confederation Generale du Travail - CGT) and burn flares as they take part in a demonstration in Paris. Photograph:(AFP)

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The workers' unions have joined hands with the Yellow Vest protesters and have crippled the transport network in Paris. 

Ahead of New Year, France continues to be on the boil over the proposed pension reforms. Violent clashes have been reported between the police and the protesters in many tourist hotspots in Paris.

The police have also used tear gas and baton-charged the crowd on some occasions.

The workers' unions have joined hands with the Yellow Vest protesters and have crippled the transport network in Paris. 

The next round of talks between the government and the union leaders is scheduled for January 7th and the fear is that the transport impasse will continue well into the New Year.

The French government has been adamant on pushing ahead with the reform.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said that 42 separate state-funded pension plans will be combined into a single points-based system.

The police crackdown has become a matter of worry among the protesters. One prominent Yellow Vest protester -- Jerome Rodriguez ended up taking refuge in a cafe to escape the police.

Rodriguez has faced police brutality more than once...He lost one of his eyes during a demonstration earlier this year.