French union threatens to cut off power to deputies ahead of strike

French trade union CGT is threatening lawmakers and billionaires with power cuts ahead of a nationwide strike on Thursday, as part of an increasingly bitter fight against the government’s plan to raise the retirement age.

The proposed bill, announced last week, would raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, something opinion polls show is opposed by the vast majority of workers who are already facing a cost-of-living crisis.

Transportation, education and energy workers across France will take part in a strike on Thursday, with large protest marches expected in Paris and other cities.

The strike is seen as a test of whether unions, which in years past have tried to persuade people to strike, can transform that anger into mass social protest.