French Social Security workers to strike

The 150,000 employees of France's Social Security system plan to strike on Thursday, and they are inviting insured individuals to join them in the action. The strike is organized by an inter-union group representing six major unions, including CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, CFTC, FO, and UNSA.

Strike aims to oppose budget cuts

The inter-union group called for the strike in response to planned budget cuts, as outlined in an open letter sent on Tuesday. The unions argue that these cuts are weakening the Social Security system and threatening both the rights of insured individuals and the system's ability to carry out its public service responsibilities.

Unions highlight key concerns

The inter-union has criticized several policies, including the freezing of family benefits, the potential to stop indexing pensions to inflation, and restrictions on healthcare access. They claim these policies are harming people's purchasing power, access to medical care, and overall social protection. They also point to challenges in hospitals and staffing shortages within the Social Security system, which are causing delays in processing claims and payments.

Strike linked to broader economic issues

In a separate letter to lawmakers not aligned with the RN and UDR parties, the inter-union pointed out that freezing the salary index for civil servants is reducing their purchasing power. They noted that a quarter of these workers would currently need to rely on an activity bonus to supplement their income. The strike is intended to demand better wages, the repeal of policies that harm insured individuals, and improved resources for the system.