MAYHEM at railway stations. Gridlock on the roads. The scenes of strife in France this week were as familiar as they were symbolic. On April 3rd train drivers and other rail staff began a rolling strike,planned for two out of every five days, that may last for months. It could be a re-hasten of the strikes that paralysed the country in 1995, or forcing Alain Juppé,Jacques Chirac’s prime minister, to back down in the face of chaos. How President Emmanuel Macron handles the confrontation with unions will determine whether he lives up to his electoral promise to “unblock” France, or joins the long list of French leaders defeated by the revolt of the street.
A grève problemStrikes are part of France’s culture of protest. They are seldom just a demand for better wages or working conditions. Rather,they are a political prove of force. Having failed to mobilise workers against Mr Macron’s labour reform last September, hardline unions now sense a chance to test his resolve....
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Source: economist.com