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France braced for huge new strike Huge new strike paralyses France
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of civil servants and students are expected to join striking transport workers as France enters a second week of industrial action. Hundreds of thousands of civil servants have joined striking transport and energy workers as France is crippled by a second week of industrial action.
Postal workers, teachers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff are holding a 24-hour stoppage to protest against planned pay and job cuts.Postal workers, teachers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff are holding a 24-hour stoppage to protest against planned pay and job cuts.
Students are also upset over plans to grant universities more autonomy. Students are continuing demonstrations over university funding reform plans.
It could be the largest protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since he took power in May.It could be the largest protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since he took power in May.
Meanwhile, transport workers are beginning the seventh day of an indefinite strike against planned pension cuts. Their protests have affected millions of commuters across France. The latest stoppage left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers.
The government will not be able to budge on the principles Francois FillonFrench PM class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7102840.stm">Strike fever hits France class="" href="/1/hi/business/7094152.stm">France's workplace anger Havoc
Joint action plea The one-day walkout left the French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffering delays and cancellations.
Eight unions have called on millions of public sector workers to join the one-day strike. A small group of people are holding the country hostage, it's lamentable, very annoying Guy Cousserant, commuter class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7102840.stm">Strike fever hits France class="" href="/1/hi/business/7094152.stm">France's workplace anger
The unions are hoping for strong participation as many employees oppose government plans to not replace some civil servants as they retire. The CGT union representing French energy workers, who began a 24-hour strike on Monday night, said they had cut nearly 9% of capacity at nuclear plants.
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.
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.
STRIKERS' GRIPES 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 poorSTRIKERS' GRIPES 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
Students, some of whom have been blocking buildings at dozens of campuses across France in the past week, are now protesting over plans to allow universities more autonomy to find non-government funding. The strikes have caused havoc for millions of commuters across France and massive traffic jams built up on roads into the capital again on Tuesday morning.
Officially, the public sector protest is separate from the ongoing rail dispute. 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."
The transport workers' industrial action was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by 500,000 staff, mainly in the rail and energy sectors, as well as by 1.1 million pensioners. 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.
But many rail workers have been pushing for the two protest movements to be merged under a common umbrella of low spending power, the BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says. They also oppose plans to cut 23,000 jobs in 2008, half in education.
Tough times '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 class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094525.stm">Can street protests succeed? class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094893.stm">Solidarity amid French crisis
On Monday the transport unions voted to extend the walkout, though the number of strikers has reportedly been dropping since the strike began last Tuesday. Students are continuing to disrupt classes in half of the country's 85 universities.
'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 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7094865.stm">In pictures: French strikes class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094525.stm">Can street protests succeed? class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7094893.stm">Solidarity amid French crisis They have been protesting since the start of November over plans to let faculties pursue non-government funding.
Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France at least $440m (£215m) a day. The transport workers' strike was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by half a million staff.
However, half of the country's high-speed TGV trains are expected to operate on Tuesday, said national rail operator SNCF. State rail operator SNCF says the number of its workers on strike had fallen since last week.
Eurostar trains between Paris and London have not been affected. Transport unions voted on Monday to extend their walkout, but have agreed to attend talks with SNCF on Wednesday.
But commuter trains, metro and bus services in Paris are all expected to be heavily reduced.
Despite the vote by transport unions to extend their strike, there has been some movement towards negotiations.
Unions have agreed to attend negotiations with the state rail company management on Wednesday.
Some are upset over plans to grant universities more autonomySome are upset over plans to grant universities more autonomy
The government has somewhat relaxed its earlier stance that it would not enter talks unless strikers return to work. The government has relaxed its earlier stance that it would not enter talks unless strikers return to work.
On Monday Prime Minister Francois Fillon said rail traffic must "progressively restart" for talks to take place.On Monday Prime Minister Francois Fillon said rail traffic must "progressively restart" for talks to take place.
But he remained firm on the government's commitment to overhaul the French economy. But he insisted the government would not budge on its commitment to overhaul the French economy saying it had a mandate to reform.
"The government will not be able to budge on the principles because it has a mandate to move this reform forward," Mr Fillon said.
Opinion polls have so far suggested that there is broad support for Mr Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public sector employees retire on a full pension as early as 50.Opinion polls have so far suggested that there is broad support for Mr Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public sector employees retire on a full pension as early as 50.
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.
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