The angry country

[Wolds Beef]

Well, JC is helping us no end by staying, Labour are a spent force and good riddance. Let's crack on and make this country great. Firstly lets all put letters into local papers and encourage people to shop local. And support local business, not the globalist supermarkets!!
WB

 

[br jones]

There is a saying that goes along the lines of “ pissing on someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours burn any brighter “ and this thread seems to be very much along those lines. It seems to me that as a largely UK based forum ,rather than concentrate on problems in France it would be better to concentrate on problems in the UK

I think you will find the point of this thread along with many others is to show its not a bed of roses in eu land ,france is on the brink of anarchy, merkel is a lame duck ,the far right is gaining power bit by bit ,the eu is facing pressure from many countries on the verge of a cataclysmic breakdown in their banking systems ,there is a major recession just round the corner and the eu will not have anymore bullets to fire ,as they have shot them all to save themselves so far .
Its not brilliant here i admit ,but it could be worse ,(jeremy )

 

[Scribus]

There is a saying that goes along the lines of “ pissing on someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours burn any brighter “ and this thread seems to be very much along those lines. It seems to me that as a largely UK based forum ,rather than concentrate on problems in France it would be better to concentrate on problems in the UK

No man, or country, is an Island, metaphorically speaking of course.

 

[Mek]

I think you will find the point of this thread along with many others is to show its not a bed of roses in eu land ,france is on the brink of anarchy, merkel is a lame duck ,the far right is gaining power bit by bit ,the eu is facing pressure from many countries on the verge of a cataclysmic breakdown in their banking systems ,there is a major recession just round the corner and the eu will not have anymore bullets to fire ,as they have shot them all to save themselves so far .
Its not brilliant here i admit ,but it could be worse ,(jeremy )

I don’t think anyone not even the most ardent remainer would think that everything is a bed of roses in EU land. As for the far right gaining power,that’s exactly what has just happened in the UK. When parliament returns they will be flexing their muscles. At least the French are doing something about it.

 

[br jones]

I don’t think anyone not even the most ardent remainer would think that everything is a bed of roses in EU land. As for the far right gaining power,that’s exactly what has just happened in the UK. When parliament returns they will be flexing their muscles. At least the French are doing something about it.

I belive that mr macron is losing the battle,will he win the war i dont know.but all he is doing just now is strengthening mrs le pens hand

 

[Hindsight]

I belive that mr macron is losing the battle,will he win the war i dont know.but all he is doing just now is strengthening mrs le pens hand

Hi, but from my observation the argument is not about EU but about revision to pension arrangements - basically raising the government pension age from 62, the level of the pension and the overall cost of living. Mainly this affects the government employees. I was reading a report in The Times a few days ago of a 35 year old train driver complaining bitterly about having to work past 55 - as he had planned to retire on what to me seemed very good pension and then work on at something else.

The point being we have had these arguments in UK already. And I wonder what the reaction would be of some posters on here if same was happening here.

So while this may be conflated into a hate EU / hate immigrant scenario for political gain - mainly by right wing political parties with a definite angle.

Leaves me all rather perplexed. And somewhat confused about this thread actually.

So if Le Pen is in the ascendancy how is she going to deal with the Pension issue and cost of living in France?

But please do correct me where I have got it wrong.

Cheers.

 

[rob1]

Hi, but from my observation the argument is not about EU but about revision to pension arrangements - basically raising the government pension age from 62, the level of the pension and the overall cost of living. Mainly this affects the government employees. I was reading a report in The Times a few days ago of a 35 year old train driver complaining bitterly about having to work past 55 - as he had planned to retire on what to me seemed very good pension and then work on at something else.

The point being we have had these arguments in UK already. And I wonder what the reaction would be of some posters on here if same was happening here.

So while this may be conflated into a hate EU / hate immigrant scenario for political gain - mainly by right wing political parties with a definite angle.

Leaves me all rather perplexed. And somewhat confused about this thread actually.

So if Le Pen is in the ascendancy how is she going to deal with the Pension issue and cost of living in France?

But please do correct me where I have got it wrong.

Cheers.

quite how the french government workers thinkits ok to retire at 55 is beyond reason, IIRC I dont think you can draw a pension and work at the same time in France

 

[arcobob]

Hi, but from my observation the argument is not about EU but about revision to pension arrangements - basically raising the government pension age from 62, the level of the pension and the overall cost of living. Mainly this affects the government employees. I was reading a report in The Times a few days ago of a 35 year old train driver complaining bitterly about having to work past 55 - as he had planned to retire on what to me seemed very good pension and then work on at something else.

The point being we have had these arguments in UK already. And I wonder what the reaction would be of some posters on here if same was happening here.

So while this may be conflated into a hate EU / hate immigrant scenario for political gain - mainly by right wing political parties with a definite angle.

Leaves me all rather perplexed. And somewhat confused about this thread actually.

So if Le Pen is in the ascendancy how is she going to deal with the Pension issue and cost of living in France?

But please do correct me where I have got it wrong.

Cheers.

The problem is not about the EU as you rightly say but it is about socialist policy and employment law that suddenly becomes unaffordable and backtracking is extremely difficult. We have the same problems here, for example in the health service and many public sector institutions. Socialism is all very well until the money runs out and throwing money that you can ill afford to produce a short term fix is very dangerous. One of life`s lessons so quickly forgotten I am afraid. Corbyn was about to embark on another such spree.
As for Le Pen, she will have to be a very strong woman, rather like Thatcher, but the angry people have not yet seen the light, so more pain I am afraid.

 

[Hindsight]

quite how the french government workers thinkits ok to retire at 55 is beyond reason, IIRC I dont think you can draw a pension and work at the same time in France

Hi, please do not qoute me on ages etc for pensions. Contributors based or with French connections will be in a far better position to provide true facts that a Lincolnshire Fenman! I did read the article a few weeks ago - but did not take notes of the exact facts. But I could see the issue was pension age and largesses. A problem facing most European and some other countries where folk are living longer. The UK seems to have tackled this with a more acquiescent populace. Or we simply have not seen it! I am always amazed by the divergence between the internal workings of the EU 28 countries - wheras may on here seem to take issue with a perceived (actual) drive to singularity.

Best wishes for the Brexit New Year!

 

[Hindsight]

The problem is not about the EU as you rightly say but it is about socialist policy and employment law that suddenly becomes unaffordable and backtracking is extremely difficult. We have the same problems here, for example in the health service and many public sector institutions. Socialism is all very well until the money runs out and throwing money that you can ill afford to produce a short term fix is very dangerous. One of life`s lessons so quickly forgotten I am afraid. Corbyn was about to embark on another such spree.
As for Le Pen, she will have to be a very strong woman, rather like Thatcher, but the angry people have not yet seen the light, so more pain I am afraid.

I tend to concur with much of what you say above. I am not sure Le Pen wants to truly tackle the issue of pensions but am assuming she is politically delighted and relishing in anything that makes Macrons life tres difficile!

Best wishes for New Year, the last in the EU.

 

[Mek]

The problem is indeed a French internal one and not related to the Eu. French jobs and pension providers are at the moment all over the place. Macron is merely trying to standardise the system with a sort of one pension age and one pension system .( that’s a bit simplistic but basically what the problem is ) .

 

[will l]

quite how the french government workers thinkits ok to retire at 55 is beyond reason, IIRC I dont think you can draw a pension and work at the same time in France

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/firefighters-to-remain-members-of-more-favourable-pension-scheme/

 

[Muck Spreader]

The problem is indeed a French internal one and not related to the Eu. French jobs and pension providers are at the moment all over the place. Macron is merely trying to standardise the system with a sort of one pension age and one pension system .( that’s a bit simplistic but basically what the problem is ) .

Pensions are organised by the individual trade bodies and I think there are 40 different pensions currently, with rail workers at the top (retire at 53 max pension of 3,600 e a month) and farmers at the bottom (retire at 60 max pension of 960 e a month). The government has to top-up many of these, as the majority have serious shortfalls in their finances. They want to reform them by increasing the age of retirement, but also making the pension fairer for people in the private sector. This in turn is p!ssing off all the state sector employees who see their pensions being reduced to pay for it. But as in most things French, it's really a lot more complex.

 

[Hindsight]

Pensions are organised by the individual trade bodies and I think there are 40 different pensions currently, with rail workers at the top (retire at 53 max pension of 3,600 e a month) and farmers at the bottom (retire at 60 max pension of 960 e a month). The government has to top-up many of these, as the majority have serious shortfalls in their finances. They want to reform them by increasing the age of retirement, but also making the pension fairer for people in the private sector. This in turn is p!ssing off all the state sector employees who see their pensions being reduced to pay for it. But as in most things French, it's really a lot more complex.

Thank you. That seems a pretty simple resume of the situation as I saw it, and far better explained than my ramblings.

Bonne annee. Not sure if that correct - long time since my grade C Olevel French!

 

[Hindsight]

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/firefighters-to-remain-members-of-more-favourable-pension-scheme/

Many thanks. Bonne annee - hope my O level french has not written something offensive!

 

[br jones]

I don’t think anyone not even the most ardent remainer would think that everything is a bed of roses in EU land. As for the far right gaining power,that’s exactly what has just happened in the UK. When parliament returns they will be flexing their muscles. At least the French are doing something about it.

I belive that mr macron is losing the battle,will he win the war i dont know.but all he is doing just now is strengthening mrs le pens hand

 

[Mek]

At the moment Macron may be losing the battle but I think he will eventually win the war. Just as Thatcher lost many battles while breaking the unions she eventually won the war by using the same tactics as Macron. Mme.le pen is no more of a political force than Nigel Farage

 

[Muck Spreader]

At the moment Macron may be losing the battle but I think he will eventually win the war. Just as Thatcher lost many battles while breaking the unions she eventually won the war by using the same tactics as Macron. Mme.le pen is no more of a political force than Nigel Farage

The battle is principally with the Rail unions and Macron has already moved by turning SNCF into a state controlled private company from today. It will now not employ anyone in the future classed as a "Railway" worker, this I think allows the changes he wishes to be implemented on any future new employee.

 

[bobk]

The battle is principally with the Rail unions and Macron has already moved by turning SNCF into a state controlled private company from today. It will now not employ anyone in the future classed as a "Railway" worker, this I think allows the changes he wishes to be implemented on any future new employee.

I like Macron , he's trying address an unsolvable situation though .

If they kick him out which is almost inevitable France will go back 30 years

 

[le bon paysan]

I think you will find the point of this thread along with many others is to show its not a bed of roses in eu land ,france is on the brink of anarchy, merkel is a lame duck ,the far right is gaining power bit by bit ,the eu is facing pressure from many countries on the verge of a cataclysmic breakdown in their banking systems ,there is a major recession just round the corner and the eu will not have anymore bullets to fire ,as they have shot them all to save themselves so far .
Its not brilliant here i admit ,but it could be worse ,(jeremy )

Ha ha, France is not on the brink. Sure people are cheesed off but no more than the UK. The French just get out and do something about it. Not whinge on a forum and plod on.