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Final vote nears on French pensions

26 October 2010 22:14 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. As strikes continue throughout France, the French parliament is expected to pass the final vote on its controversial pension reform bill, APA reports quoting Press TV.

A final vote on the bill by the Senate and National Assembly is expected as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, CNN reported.

The lower house of parliament had passed the bill in September with a 329 to 233 vote, triggering French unions to call for national action against the bill.

However, despite crippling national strikes that began on October 12, the pension reform bill passed the French Senate last week by a vote of 177 to 153.

The strikes had shut down all of France’s oil refineries and blocked fuel depots last week, causing major fuel shortages with drivers waiting in lines for hours to refill their vehicles.

The government increased its use of force against demonstrators, including a police raid on a refinery at Grandpuits, near Paris, the World Socialist Website reported.

"None of the fuel depots are blocked anymore, and three of the twelve refineries are no longer on strike," Yves le Goff, a spokesman for the French oil industry association, told CNN.

Additionally, Marseille waste collectors said they would end their strike on Tuesday, as over 10,000 tons of garbage has been left uncollected across the city.

The six major French unions are now calling for further nationwide strikes on October 28 and November 6.

Student unions also called for a day of action on Tuesday, urging students to hold sit-ins at their schools and colleges, The Guardian reported.