Capetonian:
What they want is for public sector workers (employees would be a more accurate word), which I think is over 30% of the workforce in France, to be able to retire even younger, on even higher pensions, and to work less hours to achive all this. They don't seem to realise that it doesn't add up. Meantime they don't give a toss how much they inconvenience and piss off the public.
It is even worse in many states in the U.S. The public-sector employee unions have figured out that their only remaining power is with these unions that are funded by disenfranchised taxpayers. These unions cozy up to the more liberal "leaders" by stuffing campaing coffers full of union money.