Unions vow to shut France's economy down amid pension battle

Unions are threatening to shut down France’s economy this week in what they hope is their toughest riposte yet to President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement age. The first actions are expected Monday as truckers are being urged to block major highway arteries and interchanges in go-slow actions dubbed “escargot” operations. Unions plan an open-ended strike on the national rail service starting Monday evening. The government is bracing for the biggest disruptions Tuesday when unions plan strikes across multiple sectors and protests. The retirement reform would raise the official pension age from 62 to 64. The bill is under debate in parliament.