Researchers and students join renewed pension protests

French higher education unions strike while scientists highlight special pension issues for researchers

Researchers and university staff have once again joined a wave of industrial action to protest against government plans to reform public pension provision, including raising the legal retirement age from 62 to 64.

On 7 March, strike action shut down universities and research institutes across France, while transport services and much of the public sector, including schools, were also closed. Fuel deliveries were interrupted, with refineries blockaded.