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| France faces more travel misery | France faces more travel misery |
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| France faces a second day of travel chaos as transport unions continue a strike in protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reforms. | France faces a second day of travel chaos as transport unions continue a strike in protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reforms. |
| Rail and bus services were crippled in Wednesday's action, and more than 50,000 people rallied in Paris against Mr Sarkozy's plans. | Rail and bus services were crippled in Wednesday's action, and more than 50,000 people rallied in Paris against Mr Sarkozy's plans. |
| The president later called for a speedy end to the strike, saying conditions for talks with the unions had been met. | |
| Germany also faces rail disruption, as train drivers strike over a pay demand. | Germany also faces rail disruption, as train drivers strike over a pay demand. |
| Passenger train drivers joined freight drivers, who had started strike action on Wednesday. | Passenger train drivers joined freight drivers, who had started strike action on Wednesday. |
| Deutsche Bahn says it will not make a new pay offer, and drivers' unions have raised the prospect of open-ended strikes. | Deutsche Bahn says it will not make a new pay offer, and drivers' unions have raised the prospect of open-ended strikes. |
| Breakthrough hopes | Breakthrough hopes |
| In France, fewer than 25% of trains and only 90 of the 700 high-speed TGVs ran normally on Wednesday, while just one in five trains on the Paris metro and only 15% of bus services operated. | In France, fewer than 25% of trains and only 90 of the 700 high-speed TGVs ran normally on Wednesday, while just one in five trains on the Paris metro and only 15% of bus services operated. |
| '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 In pictures: French strikes Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis | '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 In pictures: French strikes Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis |
| Commuters across the country were forced to find other ways to get to work - car sharing, cycling or roller blading along traffic-choked roads. | |
| However, hopes of a breakthrough were raised on Wednesday evening after Mr Sarkozy said conditions for talks had been created. | However, hopes of a breakthrough were raised on Wednesday evening after Mr Sarkozy said conditions for talks had been created. |
| "The president of the republic has always considered there is more to be gained for all parties in negotiation than in conflict," said Mr Sarkozy's spokesman David Martinon. | "The president of the republic has always considered there is more to be gained for all parties in negotiation than in conflict," said Mr Sarkozy's spokesman David Martinon. |
| Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand held a series of meetings with the unions, whose leaders signalled their readiness to make a deal. | Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand held a series of meetings with the unions, whose leaders signalled their readiness to make a deal. |
| Jacques Voisin, head of the CFTC union, said after meeting the minister: "Let's not waste any time... let's negotiate." | Jacques Voisin, head of the CFTC union, said after meeting the minister: "Let's not waste any time... let's negotiate." |
| Bernard Thibault, head of the powerful CGT union, appeared to retreat from a previous demand for national talks by saying he would accept negotiations on a company-by-company basis. | Bernard Thibault, head of the powerful CGT union, appeared to retreat from a previous demand for national talks by saying he would accept negotiations on a company-by-company basis. |
| But six rail and four metro unions later voted to continue the action for at least another 24 hours. | But six rail and four metro unions later voted to continue the action for at least another 24 hours. |
| 'Special' pensions | 'Special' pensions |
| The open-ended strike began on Tuesday night and follows a previous walkout on 18 October. | The open-ended strike began on Tuesday night and follows a previous walkout on 18 October. |
| It is not clear if energy workers will continue to strike on Thursday, although they have voted to continue a blockade of the liquefied natural gas terminal at Fos-sur-Mer to Friday. | It is not clear if energy workers will continue to strike on Thursday, although they have voted to continue a blockade of the liquefied natural gas terminal at Fos-sur-Mer to Friday. |
| The last time a French 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 French 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 the polls have so far broadly supported Mr Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public service employees retire on a full pension as early as 50. | But the polls have so far broadly supported Mr Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public service employees retire on a full pension as early as 50. |