美国国家公共电台 NPR--France braces for another nationwide strike against planned pension changes

France braces¹ for another nationwide strike against planned pension changes

Transcript²

French unions have called for a strike to again protest the government's planned changes to the retirement³ system — especially the plan to raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

French unions have called for a second day of nationwide strikes today. They're pressuring the government of Emmanuel Macron to drop its planned changes to retirement, especially the plan to raise the minimum retirement age, which allows a full pension, from 62 to 64. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports the proposed change is especially unpopular outside of big cities.

(SOUNDBITE OF CHURCH BELLS RINGING)

ELEANOR BEARDSLEY, BYLINE⁴: The Burgundy countryside is full of medieval churches, stone villages and hardworking people like Annik Riboulet. She's a 71-year-old retiree who enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

ANNIK RIBOULET: (Speaking French).

BEARDSLEY: "I started working at the age of 14," she says, "as a cashier in a bakery." Riboulet never stopped, even while raising four children, until she retired⁵ at the age of 58. She had what is known as a long career. Under the proposed changes, people like Riboulet would still be able to retire early because nobody will have to work more than 44 years. But Riboulet's son-in-law, 47-year-old Fabien Stephan, who works in a slaughterhouse, would have to work two extra years until 64.

FABIEN STEPHAN: (Speaking French).

BEARDSLEY: "It's extremely physical work getting these huge animals through the process," he says. "No one will be able to do two more years under this reform - no one." Mathieu Gallard is a pollster with Ipsos in Paris. He says 70% of the French oppose the overhaul⁶ of the pension system. That's up 10 points from September. Gallard says respondents do not believe the pension system needs fixing. It had a surplus in 2021. And he says the French public thinks the burden will not be shared equally.

MATHIEU GALLARD: Emmanuel Macron has been seen as a president for successful people, I would say. And they tend to think that this reform will be a gain for - you know, for professionals and manager, but not for the working class.

BEARDSLEY: The government consulted with unions over the draft proposal. It has provisions for those with physically⁷ difficult careers and night work. It raises the minimum retirement amount to 1,200 euros a month. And yet people are fixated on the retirement age.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRIME MINISTER ELISABETH BORNE: (Speaking French).

BEARDSLEY: But Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne says working until 64 is nonnegotiable because workers need to pay into the system longer to keep it viable⁸.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

AXEL PERSSON: (Speaking French).

BEARDSLEY: Train conductor and union steward⁹ Axel Persson told French TV people are angry, and there are many more buses ready to transport protesters from the suburbs into Paris today. Parliament began debating the retirement bill Monday. Without the absolute majority in Parliament he once had, analysts¹⁰ say Macron will need every vote he can find. And unions say they're committed to fighting for the duration, but they'll need to keep the public on board.

(CROSSTALK)

BEARDSLEY: Back in Burgundy, 75-year-old Michel Zanotti is waiting tables in his restaurant. He says he feels great and has no desire to retire.

MICHEL ZANOTTI: (Speaking French).

BEARDSLEY: "We live longer, and there's no more money in the coffers. So maybe we do need to find a balance," he says.

PIERRE SHLEVY: (Speaking French, laughter).

BEARDSLEY: Eighty-one-year-old Pierre Shlevy shuffles¹¹ up to the bar with a cane¹² in each hand. He says he was happy to retire at 60. That was thanks to France's first socialist¹³ president, Francois Mitterrand, who in 1981 lowered the retirement age from 65 to 60 in one fell swoop¹⁴. Since then, nearly every president has been trying to get the French to work a little longer.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Burgundy.

1 braces   

n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来

参考例句：

• The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。
• You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

7 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

8 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

9 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 shuffles   

n.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的名词复数 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的第三人称单数 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼

参考例句：

• She shuffles cards expertly, all the guys stare in amazement. 她熟练地洗着牌，爷们都看呆了。 来自互联网
• Fortune shuffles cards, but we discard them. 命运负责洗牌，而出牌的是我们自己。 来自互联网

12 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

13 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

14 swoop   

n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击

参考例句：

• The plane made a swoop over the city.那架飞机突然向这座城市猛降下来。
• We decided to swoop down upon the enemy there.我们决定突袭驻在那里的敌人。