Massive union strike shuts down transportation across France amid growing anger over Macron’s pension reform (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

A nationwide union strike against pension reform has brought transportation across France to a standstill. Photos show thousands of workers marching in what has been billed as the largest protest of its kind since 1995.

The massive worker walkouts and marches were called in the hope of forcing President Emmanuel Macron to abandon his plans to overhaul France’s pension system. In Paris, 11 of the city’s 16 metro lines were shuttered and schools in the capital and across the country closed down.

French Labour unions members holding flags attend a demonstration against French government's pensions reform plans in Marseille as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, December 5, 2019. © REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

The strike, which is expected to continue until Monday, also paralyzed 90 percent of the country’s trains, and forced Air France to cancel 30 percent of its domestic flights.

According to the CGT union, around 1.5 million people turned out for the protests, while the interior ministry puts the figure at 700,000.

Photographs of Thursday’s demonstrations show public workers carrying banners and flares as they march through France’s largest cities.

Firefighters hold a sign as French Labour unions members demonstrate against French government's pensions reform plans in Marseille as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, December 5, 2019. The sign reads, " Marcon, your firefighters die and you don't care" ©  REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

In Paris, 6,000 riot police were mobilized as the capital braces for street protests.

The strike also forced France’s most iconic tourist spots to shut their doors. The Eiffel Tower and the Orsay museum did not open on Thursday due to staff shortages, while the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre and other museums said some of its exhibits would not be available for viewing.

According to local media, Yellow Vest protesters are blocking fuel depots in the Var department in the south and near the city of Orleans. As a result, on Thursday over 200 petrol stations had totally run out of fuel while over 400 were almost out of stock. The group has been demonstrating against Macron’s austerity measures for over a year.

A picture taken on December 5, 2019 shows a closed metro station during a strike of Paris public transports operator © AFP / CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT

Experts say that the strike, described as the largest of its kind in decades, could spell trouble for Macron. Building on ongoing demonstrations by the Yellow Vests, the strike could paralyze France and force Macron to rethink his planned reforms.

Macron has proposed making a single, points-based pension system which he said would be fairer to workers while also saving the state money. Labor unions oppose the move, arguing that the changes would require millions of people to work beyond the legal retirement age of 62 in order to receive their full pension.

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