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| France gripped by massive strike | France gripped by massive strike |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of civil servants have joined striking transport and energy workers as France is paralysed by a second week of industrial action. | Hundreds of thousands of civil servants have joined striking transport and energy workers as France is paralysed by a second week of industrial action. |
| Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff are holding a 24-hour stoppage over planned job cuts and higher wage demands. | Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff are holding a 24-hour stoppage over planned job cuts and higher wage demands. |
| Students are continuing to demonstrate over university funding plans. | Students are continuing to demonstrate over university funding plans. |
| Many thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities. | Many thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities. |
| It could end up as the biggest show of defiance at President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since his election in May. | It could end up as the biggest show of defiance at President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since his election in May. |
| The latest nationwide stoppage left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers. | The latest nationwide stoppage left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers. |
| Sarkozy's silence | Sarkozy's silence |
| The French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations. | The French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations. |
| The civil servants' purchasing power has dramatically lowered. I think they have the right to go on strike Paris commuter Strike fever hits France France's workplace anger href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3836&edition=1">Are you affected? | |
| French energy workers, who began a third 24-hour strike on Monday night, have cut nearly 9% of capacity at nuclear plants, union officials said. | French energy workers, who began a third 24-hour strike on Monday night, have cut nearly 9% of capacity at nuclear plants, union officials said. |
| And rail and bus workers are on their seventh day of an indefinite stoppage against planned pension cuts. | And rail and bus workers are on their seventh day of an indefinite stoppage against planned pension cuts. |
| Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day. | Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day. |
| Half of the country's high-speed TGV trains were operating on Tuesday, while in Paris only one metro train in three was in service and less than half of buses were expected to run. | Half of the country's high-speed TGV trains were operating on Tuesday, while in Paris only one metro train in three was in service and less than half of buses were expected to run. |
| State rail operator SNCF, which is due to hold talks with transport unions on Wednesday, says the number of its workers on strike had fallen since last week. | State rail operator SNCF, which is due to hold talks with transport unions on Wednesday, says the number of its workers on strike had fallen since last week. |
| STRIKERS' GRIEVANCES Teachers, civil servants oppose job cuts and want more payNewspaper distributors angry at planned restructuringTransport workers on strike for a week over pension reformsStudents protest at changes they say could exclude poor class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7103461.stm">In pictures: Strikes spread | |
| But with traffic gridlock on the capital's roads on Tuesday morning, the stoppage still caused havoc for commuters. | But with traffic gridlock on the capital's roads on Tuesday morning, the stoppage still caused havoc for commuters. |
| BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs says the French president has been keeping a low profile, perhaps to test the public mood. | BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs says the French president has been keeping a low profile, perhaps to test the public mood. |
| Mr Sarkozy may wish to avoid a counter-productive confrontation, but his public absence risks being construed as a sign of weakness, our correspondent says. | Mr Sarkozy may wish to avoid a counter-productive confrontation, but his public absence risks being construed as a sign of weakness, our correspondent says. |
| Opinion polls suggest voters back the French leader's plans to reform "special" pensions which allow transport and utility workers to retire early, but a majority sympathises with civil servant grievances. | Opinion polls suggest voters back the French leader's plans to reform "special" pensions which allow transport and utility workers to retire early, but a majority sympathises with civil servant grievances. |
| Analysts say Mr Sarkozy is attempting to succeed where his predecessor Jacques Chirac failed, by standing firm against the strikers and completing his reforms. | Analysts say Mr Sarkozy is attempting to succeed where his predecessor Jacques Chirac failed, by standing firm against the strikers and completing his reforms. |
| Walking to work in the centre of Paris, commuter Guy Cousserant, 56, told Reuters: "A small group of people are holding the country hostage. It's lamentable, very annoying." | Walking to work in the centre of Paris, commuter Guy Cousserant, 56, told Reuters: "A small group of people are holding the country hostage. It's lamentable, very annoying." |
| But one woman in the capital told AP news agency: "The civil servants' purchasing power has dramatically lowered. I think they have the right to go on strike." | But one woman in the capital told AP news agency: "The civil servants' purchasing power has dramatically lowered. I think they have the right to go on strike." |
| The education ministry said 40% of teachers had walked out but union officials said the figure was more like 60%. | The education ministry said 40% of teachers had walked out but union officials said the figure was more like 60%. |
| Eight unions representing 5.2 million state employees - around a quarter of the entire workforce - say their spending power has fallen 6% since 2000, though the government disputes that figure. | Eight unions representing 5.2 million state employees - around a quarter of the entire workforce - say their spending power has fallen 6% since 2000, though the government disputes that figure. |
| '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 Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis | '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 Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis |
| They also oppose plans to cut 23,000 jobs in 2008, half in education. | They also oppose plans to cut 23,000 jobs in 2008, half in education. |
| Students are continuing to block access to campus buildings in half of the country's 85 universities. | Students are continuing to block access to campus buildings in half of the country's 85 universities. |
| They have been protesting since the start of November over plans to let faculties pursue non-government funding. | They have been protesting since the start of November over plans to let faculties pursue non-government funding. |
| Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Monday the government was ready to talk with unions but insisted it would not budge on plans to overhaul the French economy. | Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Monday the government was ready to talk with unions but insisted it would not budge on plans to overhaul the French economy. |
| Will you be affected by the strike, or are you taking part in it? Send us your comments on this story by filling out the form below. | Will you be affected by the strike, or are you taking part in it? Send us your comments on this story by filling out the form below. |