It looks like it's the Union's behind the power cuts and using the Protesters, as a back drop? I don't know about France but in the Unites States "Union's" tend to be very powerful and don't hesitate to protect "their interests". I always tried to get a job that the employees were backed by a Union. Starting wages were always better and as you went up the pay scale, the benefits were decent. Unfortunately,
the majority of Union bosses tend to be involved in various "organized crime schemes" and weld a lot of political power. Italy has had a major problem with Union Boss's and their associates and recently did a major shake-up.
The headline in this article is misleading ... instead of "French strikers" it should read "Unions" are angry about pension reform ....
French strikers angry about pension reform cut power to homes, companies
December 18, 2019 -
France’s trade unions on Wednesday defended their decision to cut power to thousands of homes, companies and even the Bank of France to force the government to drop a wide-ranging pension reform.
The power cuts, illegal under French law, deepened a sense of chaos in the second week of nationwide strikes that have crippled transport, shut schools and brought more than half a million people onto the street against President Emmanuel Macron’s reform.
Asked on French radio whether the power cuts weren’t a step too far, Philippe Martinez, the head of the hardline CGT union, said the cuts were necessary to force Macron to back down.
[...] “Cutting power to blue-chip companies, prefectures, shopping malls, that’s already rather questionable,” Elisabeth Borne said. “But clinics, metro stations, fire brigades and thousands of French people also saw power cuts. This is far from normal ways of striking.”
Power cuts are an old union tactic that started at the turn of the previous century and were used after World War Two but dropped later on because of fears of a public backlash, said Stephane Sirot, a historian at Cergy-Pontoise university.
“In the 90s, it was mostly set aside because some union members were worried it could turn public opinion against them,” Sirot told Reuters. “So they adopted other methods, like cuts targeting the homes of the elite.”
[...] Macron wants to turn the myriad of French pension systems into a single points-based one. That would force staff at state-owned firms such as railway SNCF or utility EDF, who enjoy more generous pension plans than private-sector workers, to work longer.
French RTE says strikers cut power to tens of thousands of homes
France's electric grid operator RTE said on Tuesday that some of its employees had deliberately cut power to tens of thousands of homes around France as part of nationwide protests over President Emmanuel Macron's plan to reform pensions.
French government remains committed to end special pension regimes: PM
France's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Thursday
the government remained fully committed to end special pension regimes after a meeting with unions over pension reform plans.
In blow to Macron, France pensions reform tsar resigns
France's minister for pension reform resigned on Monday over a potential conflict of interest, dealing a blow to President Emmanuel Macron as trade unions staged a 12th day of strikes and prepared for more street protests against the planned changes.
More than 300 people arrested in huge Italian mob swoop
Police have arrested 334 people in one of the largest anti-mob operations ever seen in Italy, highlighting the growing reach of the 'Ndrangheta mafia, prosecutors said on Thursday.
