Unions in France abandon blockades as pensions law passes

Workers have been part of nationwide demonstrations over a government plan to raise the retirement age to 62.

Staff at the last four oil refineries yesterday voted to go back to work, the CFDT union said.

At one point all 12 refineries were shut, leaving drivers struggling to find fuel. It could take days, perhaps even a week, to get refineries back to full output after the lengthy shutdowns.

The protests have been losing steam after parliament this week approved the plan to change the retirement age from 60 to 62.

President Nicolas Sarkozy refused to back down despite two weeks of strikes that cancelled trains and shut the refineries.

The CGT union said strikers at Marseille’s oil terminals also voted to end a protest that has blocked the port for about a month, leaving 80 ships stranded at sea. Workers in Le Havre also ended their protest.

Marseille was particularly hard-hit by the strikes and is still clearing 9,000 tons of rubbish that piled up while binmen were on strike.

France’s plan to raise the retirement age now looks almost certain to become law. It still must go before a council that will rule on whether it is constitutional.

Mr Sarkozy said that he will sign it once that happens – although unions and the opposition have urged him not to because the bill is so unpopular.

Unions see retirement at 60 as a cornerstone of France’s benefits, but the government says the entire system is in jeopardy because people are living longer on average – to nearly 84 years for women and nearly 78 for men.