This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/7095796.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| France braves fresh travel misery | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| France has endured a second day of travel chaos as transport unions continued to strike against President Nicolas Sarkozy's pension reforms. | |
| More trains were running than on Wednesday, but millions of people still struggled to get to and from work. | |
| The misery looks set to continue after state rail and Paris transport workers voted to continue striking on Friday. | |
| 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 hopes | Breakthrough hopes |
| 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. | 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. |
| Only 150 of the usual 700 TGV high-speed trains were running. | 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. | 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. |
| Members of the CFDT union, on strike on Wednesday, went back to work. | 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. | 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 | 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. |
| In a letter to the unions, labour minister Xavier Bertrand proposed a month of negotiations between all parties. | In a letter to the unions, labour minister Xavier Bertrand proposed a month of negotiations between all parties. |
| 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 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. |
| All rail services were disrupted | All rail services were disrupted |
| Workers from other unions have also voted to stay on strike. | |
| "We imagine that Friday will go much the same way as today," CGT spokesman Jacques Eliez said. | "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. |