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French strike brings travel chaos French strike brings travel chaos
(about 2 hours later)
France is suffering travel chaos after transport and energy workers broadened a strike in protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform. France has suffered travel chaos after transport and energy workers broadened a strike in protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reform.
Rail services were severely disrupted and energy production reduced in the open-ended action over cuts affecting some 500,000 public sector workers.Rail services were severely disrupted and energy production reduced in the open-ended action over cuts affecting some 500,000 public sector workers.
Thousands of commuters were forced to improvise their journey to work.Thousands of commuters were forced to improvise their journey to work.
The government and the unions have resumed talks but there are fears the stoppage could last for several days. The government and the unions have resumed talks but unions have voted to extend the strike to Thursday.
The BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says that with students, teachers, civil servants and even magistrates threatening strike action over separate issues, the fear for the government is that this becomes a general wave of protest against economic hardship. There are fears the stoppage, which began on Tuesday evening, could last for several days.
The BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says that with students, teachers, civil servants and even magistrates also threatening strike action in the coming weeks, the fear for the government is that this becomes a general wave of protest against economic hardship.
Contingency plansContingency plans
'SPECIAL' PENSIONS Benefits 1.6m workers, including 1.1m retireesApplies in 16 sectors, of which rail and utilities employees make up 360,000 peopleAccount for 6% of total state pension paymentsShortfall costs state 5bn euros (£3.5bn; $6.9bn) a yearSome workers can retire on full pensions aged 50Awarded to Paris Opera House workers in 1698 by Louis XIV Can street protests succeed? class="" href="/1/hi/business/7094152.stm">Economic tensions 'SPECIAL' PENSIONS Benefits 1.6m workers, including 1.1m retireesApplies in 16 sectors, of which rail and utilities employees make up 360,000 peopleAccount for 6% of total state pension paymentsShortfall costs state 5bn euros (£3.5bn; $6.9bn) a yearSome workers can retire on full pensions aged 50Awarded to Paris Opera House workers in 1698 by Louis XIV href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7094865.stm">In pictures: French strikes class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094525.stm">Can street protests succeed?
Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand met unions on Wednesday to seek a resolution. Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand met Mr Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon on Wednesday and also held talks with unions to seek a resolution.
He had earlier warned of "a hellish day for travellers and perhaps for many days beyond that". Mr Bertrand's prediction of "a hellish day for travellers" was largely fulfilled with fewer than a quarter of trains running normally nationwide.
Fewer than a quarter of trains were running normally nationwide after rail employees walked out on Tuesday evening. Only 90 of the country's 700 high-speed TGV trains were running while commuter services were also sharply reduced.
Only 90 of the country's 700 high-speed TGV trains are running and commuter services are sharply reduced. The French train company SNCF warned the disruption would continue on Thursday, but offered some consolation by announcing that more TGVs - 150 - would be operating.
The metro service in Paris is operating at 20% capacity, metro operator RATP said, with only 15% of bus services in operation. RATP, the operator of the Paris metro, which was also badly hit on Wednesday, warned services would be severely disrupted again on Thursday, with at most one in four subway trains running.
But the inaugural Eurostar service to London's new St Pancras terminal was not affected. Only 15% of bus services were running on Wednesday.
Across France, commuters were forced to find other ways to get to work - driving in earlier than usual, car sharing or roller blading. Across France, commuters were forced to find other ways to get to work - driving in earlier than usual, car sharing, cycling or roller blading.
The French capital's popular new self-service bicycle system, Velib, was much in demand. More than 300km (190 miles) of traffic jams, twice the daily average, reportedly clogged roads into Paris.
More than 300km (190 miles) of traffic jams, twice the daily average, reportedly clogged roads into Paris on Wednesday morning. In other developments:
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  • Power output on French electricity grids was down by 8,000 megawatts amid walkouts by around 30% of staff at electricity group EDF and at gas company GDF
Energy production, meanwhile, was hit as around three out of ten employees of electricity group EDF and at gas company GDF walked out.
  • Wednesday's shows at the Paris opera and Comedie Francaise were cancelled as performers joined the strikes
    • The strike cut about 12% of production capacity at EDF, France's sole nuclear power generator, but the energy giant said there was no risk of power cuts.
  • Thirty-five of France's 85 campuses were disrupted by blockades with students protesting against a law allowing universities to accept private donations and charge tuition.
    • Mandate for changeMandate for change
    Singers at the Paris opera and actors at the Comedie Francaise have joined the wave of industrial action, forcing the cancellation of performances. Xavier Michel, 25, who skated 8km to his advertising job, told the AP news agency: "I support the idea of strikes, but not this strike. It hurts the little guys like us who are basically taken hostage."
    Students blocked some entrances to the renowned Sorbonne campus of the University of Paris, prompting tensions with other students and professors trying to push their way into school. STRIKE SPREADS RAIL: Seven of eight unions at the state-owned SNCF rail company began an open-ended strike on 13 NovemberPARIS METRO/BUS: Five of eight unions joined an open-ended strike on 14 NovemberENERGY: Seven unions at state-owned EDF and GDF utilities strike on 14 NovemberPARIS OPERA HOUSE: Four unions representing staff join strike on 14 November. Open-ended strike by La Comedie Francaise, the state theatre class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094893.stm">Solidarity amid French crisis class="" href="/1/hi/business/7094152.stm">Economic tensions
    "I'm pretty hacked off about the strike. Why? Because my husband is a truck driver, who drives 14 hours a day, who has no bonuses, who has five weeks paid annual leave, who will retire at 60. And he says nothing," Christine Meyer, a commuter at a central Paris train station, told Reuters news agency. While polls broadly supported Mr Sarkozy, some commuters criticised him for trying to push through change too quickly.
    STRIKE SPREADS RAIL: Seven of eight unions at the state-owned SNCF rail company began an open-ended strike on 13 NovemberPARIS METRO/BUS: Five of eight unions joined an open-ended strike on 14 NovemberENERGY: Seven unions at state-owned EDF and GDF utilities strike on 14 NovemberPARIS OPERA HOUSE: Four unions representing staff join strike on 14 November. Open-ended strike by La Comedie Francaise, the state theatre
    Others commuters blamed President Sarkozy for the walk-out, saying he was pushing through change too quickly.
    The last time a government tried to overhaul "special" pensions was in 1995 and it sparked three weeks of strikes that forced then-president Jacques Chirac to climb down.The last time a government tried to overhaul "special" pensions was in 1995 and it sparked three weeks of strikes that forced then-president Jacques Chirac to climb down.
    But Mr Sarkozy insists France can no longer afford superannuation deals which allow some public service employees to retire on a full pension as early as 50 and he has vowed to stay the course. But Mr Sarkozy insists France can no longer afford to allow some public service employees to retire on a full pension as early as 50 and he has vowed to stay the course.
    "I will carry out these reforms right to the end. Nothing will put me off my goal," he told the European Parliament during a visit to Strasbourg, reminding everyone that he was elected on a reform mandate. "I will carry out these reforms right to the end. Nothing will put me off my goal," he told the European Parliament during a visit to Strasbourg.
    "The French people approved these reforms. I told them all about it before the elections so that I would be able to do what was necessary afterwards," he said."The French people approved these reforms. I told them all about it before the elections so that I would be able to do what was necessary afterwards," he said.
    But a spokesman for the CGT trade union disagreed with Mr Sarkozy's logic.But a spokesman for the CGT trade union disagreed with Mr Sarkozy's logic.
    "If reforms for the French citizen means they are going to be working more and getting less pension at the end of the deal, I'm not quite sure all the French are agreeing with this approach," Oliver Sekai told the BBC."If reforms for the French citizen means they are going to be working more and getting less pension at the end of the deal, I'm not quite sure all the French are agreeing with this approach," Oliver Sekai told the BBC.
    However, the head of the CFTC union, Jacques Voisin, expressed "very measured optimism" that the government could offer concessions that would lead to an end of the strike.However, the head of the CFTC union, Jacques Voisin, expressed "very measured optimism" that the government could offer concessions that would lead to an end of the strike.
    Analysts say that Mr Sarkozy's resolve to stand up to France's powerful unions now faces a real test and his reputation rides on his success.
    Have you been affected by the strike? How did you get around the delays? Do you support the walk-out? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC please use the form below.Have you been affected by the strike? How did you get around the delays? Do you support the walk-out? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC please use the form below.
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