Sarkozy, take a tip from Reagan
So the latest out of France is that all the lazy French transportation workers - who no doubt work 35 hours per week and take 2-hour lunches - are on strike. You would think transportation workers would feel fortunate that they are employed whatsoever given the 8.7% jobless rate (more than double the US) and general pervading socialism. Nevertheless, they have refused to work because Sarkozy has threatened to end “special pension plans.”
The protests center on plans to eliminate special pension plans that allow certain workers to retire at age 50 with better income than found in the private sector.
Yeah, if only we all could be train conductors and retire at age 50. The whole world should be on strike.
The crux of the problem is that the French government has nationalized transportation. The ultimate solution is to privatize the industry and remind people that you have to compete to get ahead, you’re not entitled to everything. Yet, perhaps as an intermediary solution, Sarkozy should tear a page from the Ronald Reagan playbook.
On August 3, 1981, nationalized air traffic controllers went on strike in the United States.
Reagan gave union members 48 hours to return . . . On August 5, following their refusal, Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order, and permanently banned them from federal service.
This, of course, is what happens when you quit going to work. You either get fired or you get a promotion after talking to the Bobs. Sarkozy should be inspired by the fact that the majority of French favor his bid to restructure transportation pensions, and that 8.7% of the population is on hand to replace whoever he needs to fire to get it done.
If he doesn’t take a hard-line stance against the strikers, chock it up to being busy getting divorced.
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Balls of steel that man, “Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers.” Brilliant.