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France faces fresh travel misery France faces fresh travel misery
(about 2 hours later)
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.
More trains were running than on Wednesday, but millions of people still struggled to get to work.More trains were running than on Wednesday, but millions of people still struggled to get to work.
Rail and bus services were crippled on Wednesday, and more than 50,000 people rallied in Paris against the plans. Paris transport workers have voted to continue striking on Friday, and rail workers will vote on the issue later.
Mr Sarkozy has called for a speedy end to the strike, saying conditions for talks with the unions have been met.Mr Sarkozy has called for a speedy end to the strike, saying conditions for talks with the unions have been met.
Germany also faces rail disruption in its worst ever transport strike, with only two-thirds of trains running on main lines.Germany also faces rail disruption in its worst ever transport strike, with only two-thirds of trains running on main lines.
Passenger and freight train drivers have taken the action over a pay demand.Passenger and freight train drivers have taken the action over a pay demand.
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 hopesBreakthrough hopes
In France, the CGT union said 46% of employees at the state-run SNCF train company were on strike on Thursday, compared with 64% the day before. France's largest rail union, the CGT, said 46% of employees at the state-run SNCF train company were on strike on Thursday, compared with 64% the day before.
However, members of the CFDT union, on strike on Wednesday, went back to work. Only 150 of the usual 700 TGV high-speed trains were running.
Paris metro lines were running at about 30% of their normal levels of service, the Agence France Presse news agency reported, while only 150 of the usual 700 TGV high-speed trains were running.
'SPECIAL' PENSIONS SYSTEM 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 Have you been affected?'SPECIAL' PENSIONS SYSTEM 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 Have you been affected?
The Paris public transport company RATP said 27% of metro workers were on strike Thursday, down from 44% on Wednesday.
Major roads in the Paris region were clogged, with a reported 300km (180 miles) of traffic jams early in the day.Major roads in the Paris region were clogged, with a reported 300km (180 miles) of traffic jams early in the day.
On Wednesday, fewer than 25% of trains and only 90 of the 700 high-speed TGVs ran normally, while just one in five trains on the Paris metro and only 15% of bus services operated. Members of the CFDT union, on strike on Wednesday, went back to work.
Most workers at the EDF electricity and GDF gas utilities also returned to work after taking action on Wednesday.
Commuters across the country have been forced to find other ways to get to work - car sharing, cycling or roller-blading along traffic-choked roads.Commuters across the country have been forced to find other ways to get to work - car sharing, cycling or roller-blading along traffic-choked roads.
More disruption
Hopes of a breakthrough were raised on Wednesday evening after Mr Sarkozy said conditions for talks had been created.Hopes of a breakthrough were raised on Wednesday evening after Mr Sarkozy said conditions for talks had been created.
But six rail and four metro unions later voted to continue the action for at least another 24 hours. In a letter to the unions, labour minister Xavier Bertrand proposed a month of negotiations between all parties.
'New elements' The head of the CGT railway branch, Didier Le Reste, said the letter contained some "new elements", but members have voted to continue the strike until at least Friday morning.
The unions are due to respond to a letter from labour minister Xavier Bertrand proposing a month of negotiations between all parties.
"There are some new elements [in the letter] and it is up to the workers concerned to decide what to do," Didier Le Reste, head of railway branch of the CGT union, said.
All rail services were disruptedAll rail services were disrupted
Workers from other unions and from the RATP have also voted to stay on strike.
"We imagine that Friday will go much the same way as today," CGT spokesman Jacques Eliez said.
The strike began on Tuesday night and follows a previous walkout on 18 October.The strike began on Tuesday night and follows a previous walkout on 18 October.
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.
Thursday's disruption coincided with protests at 31 universities over education reforms.Thursday's disruption coincided with protests at 31 universities over education reforms.