The iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris was closed as were most schools and many services in France on Thursday.
周四,标志性的巴黎埃菲尔铁塔关闭,法国的许多学校和服务也关闭。
Workers are protesting the government's plan to overhaul the pension system
工人抗议政府计划全面变革养老金体系,
in a way that many feel would have them work more years for shrinking retirement payouts.
这种方法让很多人觉得,工作更长时间得到的却是缩水的退休金。
Some are also demanding better working conditions and job security.
一些人要求更好的工作条件和工作安全。
Reforming the pensions was the last straw. Since the past few years, we've been losing everything,
改革养老金是最后一棵稻草,自从过去几年里,我们失去了所有,
whether it be unemployment benefits, job cuts in the public sector, the daily livelihood.
不管是失业金,公共部门的工作岗位下降,还是日常生活。
President Emmanuel Macron wants to simplify France's pension system
马克龙总统希望简化法国的养老金体系,
which comprises more than 40 different plans with different benefit and retirement age.
目前有超过40种不同的计划,有不同的福利和退休年龄。
For example, public sector workers doing especially hard and strenuous jobs can retire early and not lose income.
比如,公共部门的工人,特别是繁重劳累工作,他们会早退休,而且不会损失收入。
Macron says the system is unfair and too costly. He proposes pensions based on universal points.
马克龙称该系统不公平,而且开销太大,他建议用通用积分来建立养老体系。
Employees would earn points for every day on the job. The longer they work, the higher the pension.
职员每天工作会赢得积分,工作时间越久,养老金越高。
The government wants to divide the people by stigmatizing the so-called privileged public sector.
政府希望通过侮辱所谓的特权公共部门来分割民众。
Well the answer is in the street. The private sector, the public sector, everybody is here.
但你可以在大街上看到答案,私有部门,公共部门,所有人都来了。
The retired people are here. The young people are here. It shows that we are all concerned about this bad project
退休的在这里,年轻人在这里,这证明我们都担忧这个糟糕的计划,
and that we are all here to say we don't want it. Macron also wants to raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64,
我们来到这里就是来抵制它,马克龙还想提高最低退休年龄,从62提高到64,
which would still be lower than in many other European countries.
这比许多欧洲国家都要低。
Experts say that with France's aging population, the current system is not sustainable.
专家认为随着法国老龄化发展,目前的系统不再具有可持续性。
French Secretary of State for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said negotiations with some unions are underway,
法国交通秘书长让-巴普蒂斯特·杰巴瑞称正在和一些协会进行商谈,
but that the strikes may continue into the next week. Even road traffic in the Paris area remained relatively modest.
但罢工或许要持续到下周,即使巴黎的路面交通保持相对适中的水平。
And as far as metros are concerned, there were a few more metros than expected, in particular an additional line opened during peak hours.
就轨道系统来看,会有更多地铁可以运行,这超过了预期,特别是在高峰期增加线路。
And tomorrow's traffic will be much the same as we have seen today.
明天的交通和今天保持大体一致。
Macron's economic reforms have sparked a wave of opposition this year, from the Yellow vests movement demanding improved living standards
今年马克龙的经济改革引发了一轮抗议,从要求改善生活水平的“黄背心运动 ”,
to more recent protests by police, firefighters, teachers, hospital workers and lawyers.
以及近期警察,消防人员,教师,医院工作者和律师的抗议。
Zlatica Hoke VOA News Washington
兹拉蒂察·霍克,VOA新闻华盛顿报道