The French took to the streets again on Friday to show their rejection of workplace accidents in the European country. Around 200 people demonstrated in front of the Labour Ministry in Paris against fatal accidents at work and for the withdrawal of the pension reform, reports AFP.
“There is no fatality in dying at work,” said Sophie Binet, secretary general of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), while denouncing an “omertá” (law of silence) on the issue.
On the occasion of World Day for Health and Safety at Work, Binet requested the reinstatement of health, safety and working conditions committees, abolished by President Emmanuel Macron in 2017. He also called for an increase in the number of inspectors and occupational medicine staff, “so that our warnings are heard and there is real prevention”.
He also suggested “condemning companies that do not comply with prevention standards”, as well as allowing more early retirement for employees who do arduous work. According to Binet, in the country “two workers die every day at work”.
“Instead of working on these prevention issues, instead of acting against accidents and deaths at work, the government and employers want to impose an unfair reform and force us to work two more years, robbing us of two years of life,” he criticised.
He said he would try to put pressure on parliamentarians to support a bill to repeal the pension reform, which is due to be put to a vote on 8 June.
France was the European Union country with the highest rate of fatal accidents at work in 2019 (3.5 per 100,000 workers), according to Eurostat.
Earlier in the day, protesters started a fire and blocked the construction site of the future Paris 2024 Olympic swimming pool.
“No response from the government on pension reform, no Olympics,” the activists shouted.
The original article can be found at the following link: https://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/465407-manifestantes-paris-denuncian-silencio-muerte-laboral
