A union of energy workers has threatened to disrupt next month’s Monaco Grand Prix in protest at the French government’s changes to its national pension scheme.
The Fédération Nationale des Mines et de l’Énergie (FNME-CGT) declared “100 days of anger” in response to French president Emmanuel Macron’s reforms. The union has targeted events including the Monaco Grand Prix, which is due to take place from 26-28th May.“100 days of anger, 100 days to win,” said the union in a statement. “In May, do what you please! The Cannes film festival, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Roland-Garros [tennis] tournament, the Avignon [art] festival could end up in the dark! We won’t give up!”
F1’s race around the streets of Monte-Carlo is one of the oldest and most prestigious rounds of the world championship. It is organised by the Automobile Club de Monaco, which also runs Monaco’s round of the Formula E series. That race is due to take place on May 6th but was not named as a target by the union. The ACM has been approached for comment.
Macron’s plan to increase in the retirement age from 62 years to 64 was passed by France’s top constitutional body 10 days ago. It has been resisted by many in the country and its approval was greeted by a wave of protests.
While the Monaco Grand Prix does not take place at night under lights, unlike six rounds on the 2023 F1 calendar, interference with the local energy supply has the potential to be disruptive. A power cut caused by heavy rain contributed to the delay at the start of last year’s Monaco Grand Prix.
At the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, a night race, Alfa Romeo were unable to run their cars for almost an hour in practice due to a power cut in their garage.
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MacLeod (@macleod)
25th April 2023, 8:04
Non-sense a rich country like Monaco can handle this just by placing a energyship in the Harbour removing the need for a other country energy (France) for 1 weekend. Those workers shouldn’t bring these issue’s to us as their Pension age is way to low to keep it going i think they forget this.
MJ
25th April 2023, 12:54
No, the French are rightly standing up to governments eroding civil liberties and destroying their pensions. This is how every country should behave when their governments impose hardship on the population instead of managing their budgets properly.
Jere (@jerejj)
25th April 2023, 8:08
Nothing will probably happen in the end.
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
25th April 2023, 10:08
Sounds like a normal Monaco race then :)
David
25th April 2023, 15:55
ZING!!!!!!
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2023, 6:08
@ahxshades In case you didn’t get what I meant, I meant nothing will threatening to Monaco GP will probably happen or that it wouldn’t get cancelled anyway.
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
26th April 2023, 8:02
No worries – I did fully understand your point @jerejj
Jere (@jerejj)
26th April 2023, 8:55
@ahxshades
Okay, & I also assumed this but wanted to be absolutely sure just in case you weren’t sarcastic.
ajpennypacker (@ajpennypacker)
25th April 2023, 16:11
I don’t know about that… unions somehow get a lot done in France. To the detriment of the country, but they get things done. This thing with the pensions is one issue they won’t let go. It’s a ridiculous situation given that they raised retirement age by 2 years because the country is getting buried under debt.
MichaelN
25th April 2023, 9:12
The French retirement age is supposed to be raised from 62 to only 64. The only European country with a lower retirement age (for men) is Ukraine at 60. Even at 64, France will merely be in the middle of the pack. Meanwhile, France is running a deficit and national debt way in excess of Eurozone agreements. The French can’t afford their spending; they have to change.
As for F1, of course Monaco has enough money to fix this situation. They won’t let it disrupt their GP.
LosD (@losd)
25th April 2023, 9:19
A year ago I would have called them big whiners, as our retirement age in Denmark is 67, and no one really has a problem with that.
… Then I witnessed the eruption when the Danish government removed a holiday. We’re just as bad, and I expect most populations are when a privilege is taken away.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th April 2023, 10:32
Well Michael, @losd, the thing is though, those 62 years (and the 64) only count IF you have actually worked 40 years prior to that. Which means that in reality you either retire relatively early but get a reduced pension or you have to work those years so you can retire with full pension at age 67 (which will be raised even more with this change) etc.
The system is still pretty good for the French, but it is not as much of a luxury as it seems at first glance.
temp
25th April 2023, 11:00
Unless I misunderstood the protests are more about the way the law was passed unilaterally without going through the normal democratic processes than they are about the retirement age being raised
MacLeod (@macleod)
25th April 2023, 13:32
I thought it was 57 to 64 but still way too low. Here in the Netherlands 65 to 67 and nothing happened here…
Qeki (@qeki)
25th April 2023, 9:51
oh merde
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
25th April 2023, 23:31
Sacre Bleu!