French firefighters stage Paris protests demanding hires, pay rise and new Canadair planes
Firefighters in France have escalated their strike that began on 8 September with a three-day demonstration in Paris, calling for more staff, better health protection and a salary boost.
French professional firefighters intensified their strike that started on 8 September by staging a three-day presence on the streets of Paris. After setting up near the Eiffel Tower on Sunday, they marched on Monday and will participate in a larger public-service protest on Tuesday, demanding additional hires, improved health safeguards and a refocusing of their duties. Central to their agenda are higher wages and increased budget allocations, as well as the replacement of the aging Canadair water-bomber fleet that was heavily used this summer.
The unions also denounce a newly drafted civil-security modernization bill, arguing it offers no structural solutions to escalating fire threats. Over the past summer, France experienced record-breaking wildfires, including the first pyrocumulonimbus, and the Federation of French firefighters reports eight colleagues have died in the line of duty across all incidents.
