Why are they taking it to the streets in Paris and London? This 21st century tale of two cities is not about revolution like in the Dickens classic, but about saving Europe's beloved welfare state. In France, unions say millions turned out on Tuesday for round two of the biggest strike movement in years. At issue is much-needed pension reform for an ageing population. Will the government back down on raising the retirement age to 64?
Over in the UK, civil servants are calling for pay and working conditions that keep pace with double-digit inflation and a reversal of years of cuts to public services. Is this a tipping point?
In both countries, Covid has impacted how we view job security, retirement and our work-life balance. Burnout rates are higher. While the French retire earlier and put in fewer hours than almost all their European counterparts, they have just as much work.
How should the state factor in productivity when it determines when its citizens have worked long enough to call it quits?
Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Sara Ayach and Louise Guibert.
