France

Transport disrupted by one-day strike on pensions

Article published on the 2008-05-22 Latest update 2008-05-22 15:09 TU

Teachers lead protests during last week's public-sector strike
(Photo : Reuters)

Public transport, postal services and public utilities are among industries hit by a one-day general strike in France today. Unions called the action to protest at a change in pension rights due to come into operation next year. Factory workers dockers also protested against government privatisation plans.

There were long queues of lorries at the Channel port of Calais because of the dock privatisation plans and 80 protest rallies around the country.

Unions put the number of demonstrators in provincial cities at over 150,000, police say there were 40,000.

And there was a large rally in Paris.

The change, which was voted into law in 2003, increased the number of years' work necessary for entitlement to a full pension from 40 to 41 for public and private sectors alike.

The unions want it scrapped and opinion polls show six in ten French people agree with them but Prime Minister François Fillon told a television interviewer last night that "the question was settled in 2003".

Unions say that there are strikes on the local transport networks of Paris and 53 other towns and cities. Not much disruption is reported on the Paris métro but suburan lines are said to be running at half capacity.

The government recently brought in an obligation to provide a minimum service on public transport.

Morning radio slots were replaced by music on France Inter and Radio France International.

Fishermen, whose leaders Wednesday called for an end to their protests against fuel price rises, continued to blockade oil depots in several parts of the country.