Unions in threat to paralyse France

[seafan]

Source: Financial Times

Nicolas Sarkozy's commitment to reforming France's pensions system and labour market will be put to its toughest test yet this week with unions threatening to paralyse the country with a second round of transport strikes and demonstrations.
Rail workers, protesting against government plans to roll back their special pension privileges, are set to begin an open-ended strike on Tuesday night. The RATP, which runs Paris's metros and buses, and workers from the energy sectors are planning strikes on Wednesday.


While last month's strike action caused transport disruption for several days, the protests this week could take on even greater significance as unions representing other groups and trades look to join in the protest.
Calls have gone out to students, who are currently protesting about changes to the university system, to back the day of action. Last week the railway station in Rennes was closed down temporarily after students invaded the tracks.


Meanwhile, millions of civil servants, including teachers, are set to go on strike on November 20 to oppose planned public-sector job cuts. Judges and courtroom staff will also go on strike on November 29 to protest against a reform of the judicial map of France.


The unions are hoping the series of strikes from different groups would converge to create a repeat of 1995, when hundreds of thousands took to the streets in a protest at rail workers' pensions, forcing the Chirac government to back down.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21739240/

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