#28: The Paris Trash Strike

Garbage collectors are the unsung heroes of our society. We’re being serious when we say that modern-day civilization would not function without them. This became all too evident during a 17-day garbage collector strike in Paris in March 2023. The strike occurred after French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to raise the retirement age of garbage collectors by two years.  

Parisian garbage collectors and French citizens weren’t having it. They went on strike with huge support from citizens across the country. Trash quickly piled up on the streets of Paris alongside public protests. The strike ended at the end of March, and the trash was collected, although unions were still negotiating and fighting the new retirement law.