FRANCE: Marseille's streets covered in garbage as refuse collectors continue strike

Record ID: 339428

  • Title: FRANCE: Marseille's streets covered in garbage as refuse collectors continue strike
  • Date: 19th October 2010
  • Summary: MARSEILLE, FRANCE (OCTOBER 18, 2010) (REUTERS) WOMAN WALKING PAST PILES OF RUBBISH IN STREET
  • Embargoed: 3rd November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Employment
  • Reuters ID: LVA250OJDA81LQC1SEUZI8UWEMQD
  • Story Text: The southern French city of Marseille was covered in rubbish on Monday (October 18) as refuse collectors continued to strike in protest at the government's planned pension reforms.
    After six days with no rubbish collections, trash has piled up on the city's streets, which residents say are crawling with vermin as a result.
    "It's shameful, of course it's shameful. Look at this, around you: cockroaches, and everything. It's not right, it's disgusting," said Mohammed Foued Oubiri.
    Another resident said the relatively high temperatures in the Mediterranean city were not helping.
    "It is really only the users who are taken hostage. It's always, always always the same people who pick up the pieces. It's overflowing, there are horrible smells as the temperatures are still quite high and we are sinking and sinking into it," said Valerie Audibert.
    The strike by refuse collectors is part of a series of protests and industrial disputes across the country. On Monday, French truck drivers also staged go-slow operations on highways and rail strikes intensified as protests gathered pace ahead of a Senate vote on the pension overhaul, due to take place on Wednesday.
    Union leaders say if the pension reform goes ahead, refuse collectors will have to choose between retiring with no money or working until they are older.
    "Nobody will be able to leave at 55 years old, we have to be aware of that. They (the garbage men) will be forced to retire between 62 and 65 years old to have full pensions. If not, their pensions will be around 800-900 euros. This is the reality, the truth, not what they are trying to explain to us through advertisements," said union leader Patrick Rue.
    The government has been at loggerheads with France's powerful unions for months over its plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62. Five rounds of strike action since the summer have disrupted public transport and air travel.
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