Salocin

On strike

The French transport unions have all decided to go on strike today. In the BBC News article on the subject, a representative of the unions said they were "fed up with being constantly portrayed as privileged or in some way guilty on the issue of pensions".

But they are privileged and they are guilty of defending a completely unjustified system.

The "special regimes" which are to be dismantled and which the unions want preserved, were originally enacted to compensate individuals who carry out jobs where the discomfort and the health & safety aspects were particularly burdensome. These individuals were allowed to retire early, in some cases as early as 50 years of age. Nothing wrong with that in principle. Originally, these individuals would be working locomotives where the job basically entailed shovelling coal into a furnace all day long. Now the guy presses a switch and the train goes, but he keeps his special hardship privileges and is willing to hold the country to ransom over them. That's privilege, right there, and if you're made to feel guilty, it's several years overdue.

Paris was wonderful this morning. I walked around my block of buildings to the Vélib stand, where I picked up a bicycle (people were arriving and leaving simultaneously, so there was a good turnover of bikes). I then cycled to work through the centre of Paris. This is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so it's no real hardship, even if it gets a little chilly and damp. Outside, everyone was walking, people weren't even bothering with the trains, because Paris is small and if you live inside it, you can be at work within one to two hours. On a bicycle it took me 25 minutes to get to my office. Outside, there were many people walking or cycling to work, and everyone was a little friendlier than usual, as is often the case when some negative throws everyone together - you make the best of it.

I'll either cycle or walk home too, and I'll enjoy it, because regardless of the idiocy, bloody-mindedness and pure unadulterated greed of those who think this is a legitimate issue to strike over, I won't credit them with the ability to ruin my day.