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France braces for mass walk-out Transport hit amid French strike
(40 minutes later)
A one-day strike by public and private sector workers is under way in France, with disruption to transport, hospital and education services expected. Rail and air services have been disrupted as French public and private sector workers hold a one-day strike.
Hundreds of thousands of workers are demanding more government action to protect jobs and wages. Many trains were cancelled, and a third of flights out of one Paris airport.
Hundreds of thousands of workers are expected at rallies later in the day to demand more government action to protect jobs and wages.
Three-quarters of people and all the main trade unions are backing what the press are calling "Black Thursday", correspondents say.Three-quarters of people and all the main trade unions are backing what the press are calling "Black Thursday", correspondents say.
Air France flights will be cancelled and train services are being disrupted.
The protesters are demonstrating against the worsening economic climate in France and at what they believe to be the government's poor handling of the crisis.The protesters are demonstrating against the worsening economic climate in France and at what they believe to be the government's poor handling of the crisis.
Early reports said that regional trains and those in and out of Paris were being affected. Only 35% of trains were running in several regions, operator SNCF said. "I'm tired and frozen after waiting half-an-hour on the platform," commuter Sandrine Dermont told the AFP news agency as she arrived by train in Paris. There are other ways to make oneself heard than striking Eric WoerthFrench finance minister
"But I'm prepared to accept that when it's a movement to defend our spending power and jobs. I'll join the street protests during my lunch break," she said.
Reports said that regional trains and those in and around Paris were being affected. Forty percent of regional trains were running, operator SNCF said, and 60% of high-speed TGV services.
Schools, banks, hospitals, post offices and courts were all expected to be hit as workers stay home in protest.
A third of flights out of Paris' second airport, Orly, were cancelled, but those out of the larger Charles de Gaulle hub were experiencing only short delays, AFP said.
Hit hardHit hard
Last summer, President Nicolas Sarkozy boasted that these days when there is a strike in France, nobody notices, says the BBC's Emma-Jane Kirby in Paris. There are other ways to make oneself heard than striking Eric WoerthFrench finance minister Last summer, President Nicolas Sarkozy boasted that these days when there is a strike in France, nobody notices, says the BBC's Emma-Jane Kirby in Paris.
But this time, our correspondent adds, the strike will hit hard.But this time, our correspondent adds, the strike will hit hard.
Schools and post offices will be shut and courts, hospitals and power companies will also be affected.
Many people are angry French banks were given a multi-billion euro bail out while floundering industries and businesses were offered far less help.Many people are angry French banks were given a multi-billion euro bail out while floundering industries and businesses were offered far less help.
Thierry Didieu of the CFDT union explains the aims of the strikeThierry Didieu of the CFDT union explains the aims of the strike
With unemployment looking likely to hit 10% by next year, the French are now looking for assurances from their president that he will drop his programme of cost cutting reforms and instead turn his attention to relaunching the ailing economy, our correspondent says.With unemployment looking likely to hit 10% by next year, the French are now looking for assurances from their president that he will drop his programme of cost cutting reforms and instead turn his attention to relaunching the ailing economy, our correspondent says.
But French Finance Minister Eric Woerth condemned the strike organisers, accusing them of scare-mongering during a time of economic uncertainty. Earlier in the week French Finance Minister Eric Woerth condemned the strike organisers, accusing them of scare-mongering during a time of economic uncertainty.
"There are other ways to make oneself heard than striking," he said."There are other ways to make oneself heard than striking," he said.
"Blocking a country, preventing transport from working, bothering people when they are still extraordinarily worried and fearful of the future, is adding fear on top of fear, worry on top of worry.""Blocking a country, preventing transport from working, bothering people when they are still extraordinarily worried and fearful of the future, is adding fear on top of fear, worry on top of worry."
Will you be taking part in the strike? Will you be affected by this action? Send us your comments using the form below: Will you be taking part in the strike? Will you be affected by this action? You can send us your experiences using the form below:
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