[A photo of strike protest. Photo Credit to Pxhere] 

On September 18, union leaders in France called hundreds of thousands of cross-industry workers to what many are calling the biggest strike the nation has seen in years.

Teachers, hospital personnel, public transport workers, and other public servants joined in to protest against austerity measures set by the French government.

In major cities such as Paris and Lyon, tens of thousands of protesters rallied in the streets, while over 80,000 security personnel were deployed to keep the peace.

Rail systems were left unattended, schools shut down, and pharmacies closed in an act of defiance.

The root of the problem stems from a decision made by former Prime Minister François Bayrou to cut budgets in multiple government services such as education, healthcare, and transportation.

This was part of an austerity package that was passed in order to reduce France’s current public deficit, which has surpassed the acceptable threshold set by the European Union.

In addition to the budget cuts, the elimination of two national holidays, Easter Monday and Victory Day, has been proposed, an action that would improve productivity of workers at the expense of their quality of life.

The package will also bring strict reform to pension plans and unemployment benefits, resources that have consistently faced criticism from the working class.

Pensions would have a tighter eligibility age, while unemployment benefits would shorten dramatically for job seekers.

To supplement the budget cuts, plans to place limits on funding for schools and regional hospitals have been put in place, forcing a cutback on staff and resources.

Union leaders argue that making such cuts while demand for government services is rising could invoke a negative response from the public.

Aside from the content of the package, the process by which the government has chosen to go about passing the law has caused controversy across the nation.

Instead of engaging in a parliamentary debate, the current Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, invoked a constitutional procedure that skipped the voting period that was usually necessary.

While legal, this move confirmed many people’s suspicions that the austerity package was being forced upon France without proper democratic action.

CGT union leader Sophie Binet stated, “The anger is huge, and so is the determination. My message to Mr. Lecornu today is this: It’s the streets that must decide the budget.”

The strike on September 18 was organized mainly through the efforts of multiple unions, as well as the “Bloquons Tout”(Block Everything) movement, which has gained a huge following through protests and social media.

They demand that the austerity package be removed altogether, and that the government begin negotiations on a budget that doesn’t infringe on public servants.

Even so, Lecornu has stood his ground, showing no signs of reverting the bill.

The Prime Minister insists that France’s goal should be to restore trust with its European partners by improving the economy through financial restraint.

However, the cost of the strike is adding up, as many crucial services required for the nation’s stability are being depleted of their workforce.

With another strike being set to take place on October 2, it is highly likely that tensions between the government and the working class will further escalate.