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| Sarkozy defiant against strikers | Sarkozy defiant against strikers |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to maintain his controversial economic reforms despite a second week of crippling industrial action. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to maintain his controversial economic reforms despite a second week of crippling industrial action. |
| He said the reforms were overdue and that they were necessary "to confront the challenges set by the world". | He said the reforms were overdue and that they were necessary "to confront the challenges set by the world". |
| Hundreds of thousands of civil servants joined striking transport and energy workers on Tuesday over the proposals. | Hundreds of thousands of civil servants joined striking transport and energy workers on Tuesday over the proposals. |
| The 24-hour action is said to be the largest protest against Mr Sarkozy's reforms since he took power in May. | The 24-hour action is said to be the largest protest against Mr Sarkozy's reforms since he took power in May. |
| In his first comments since the stoppage began, Mr Sarkozy said: "These reforms have been put off for too long. | In his first comments since the stoppage began, Mr Sarkozy said: "These reforms have been put off for too long. |
| "After so much hesitation, so much procrastination, so many U-turns, a complete break is now needed to stop the decline." | "After so much hesitation, so much procrastination, so many U-turns, a complete break is now needed to stop the decline." |
| Adopting a defiant stance, he said French voters gave him a mandate to carry out economic reforms when they elected him. | Adopting a defiant stance, he said French voters gave him a mandate to carry out economic reforms when they elected him. |
| "This clean break I promised to the French during the election campaign. The French approved it," the president said in a speech to an assembly of mayors. | "This clean break I promised to the French during the election campaign. The French approved it," the president said in a speech to an assembly of mayors. |
| "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," Mr Sarkozy added. | "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," Mr Sarkozy added. |
| 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. |
| Opinion polls suggest voters back the French leader's plans to reform "special" pensions which allow transport and utility workers to retire early, but that civil servants have the sympathy of a majority of people. | Opinion polls suggest voters back the French leader's plans to reform "special" pensions which allow transport and utility workers to retire early, but that civil servants have the sympathy of a majority of people. |
| Commuter chaos | Commuter chaos |
| Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff launched a 24-hour stoppage on Tuesday over planned job cuts and higher wage demands, as students continued to demonstrate over university funding plans. | Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff launched a 24-hour stoppage on Tuesday over planned job cuts and higher wage demands, as students continued to demonstrate over university funding plans. |
| 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 poor How readers are coping | 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 poor How readers are coping |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Some are upset over plans to grant universities more autonomyThe 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. | Some are upset over plans to grant universities more autonomyThe 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. | Rail and bus workers are on their seventh day of an indefinite stoppage against planned pension cuts. |
| 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 running. | 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 running. |
| 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. |
| But with traffic gridlock on Tuesday, the stoppage still caused havoc for millions of commuters across France. | But with traffic gridlock on Tuesday, the stoppage still caused havoc for millions of commuters across France. |
| Talks to restart | Talks to restart |
| 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. |
| 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 disrupt classes in half of the country's 85 universities. | 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 Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis No newspapers for France | '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 No newspapers for France |
| 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. |
| The transport workers' strike was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by half a million staff. | The transport workers' strike was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by half a million staff. |
| Transport unions voted on Monday to extend their walkout, but have agreed to attend talks with SNCF on Wednesday. | Transport unions voted on Monday to extend their walkout, but have agreed to attend talks with SNCF on Wednesday. |
| The government has 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 insisted the government would not budge on its commitment to overhaul the French economy, saying it had a mandate to reform. | |
| 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. |