Macron needs to "hit pause" on French pensions reform, unions say

Protesters holding French CGT and Sud Culture Solidaires labour unions flags stand in front of the glass Pyramid to block the entrance of the Louvre museum to protest against the French government's pension reform, in Paris, France, France, March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Marco Trujillo

PARIS (Reuters) -France's labour unions appealed to President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to "hit pause" on his plans to raise the legal retirement age as a new round of demonstrations and strikes got under way and the authorities deployed thousands of police.

Millions of people have been demonstrating, largely peacefully, and joining strike action since mid-January to show their opposition to Macron's plans to make most of them work an extra two years to 64.