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France Faces Strikes Over Pension Overhaul

by VOA News

   Workers striking in protest of France's proposed pension overhauls
   disrupted transportation, schools and electricity supplies Thursday.

   President Emmanuel Macron's government has proposed raising the
   retirement age for a full pension from 62 to 64, saying the move is
   necessary to keep the system solvent.

   Unions oppose the change and have suggested a tax on the super wealthy
   as an alternative course.

   Train service and some flights were canceled Thursday. Seventy percent
   of preschool and primary school teachers said they planned to not work,
   while electricity workers said they would reduce supplies in protest of
   the proposed changes.

   Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence
   France-Presse and Reuters.