FRANCE: Nationwide strike underway as Unions protest government's handling of the economy

Record ID: 339028

  • Title: FRANCE: Nationwide strike underway as Unions protest government's handling of the economy
  • Date: 23rd March 2009
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 19, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GARD DU NORD STATION SNCF SIGN ON STATION EXTERIOR FACADE SCHEDULE BOARD INSIDE STATION SCHEDULE SIGN SAYING TRAFFIC DISRUPTED DUE TO STRIKE TRAIN ARRIVING AT EMPTY PLATFORM PASSENGERS DISEMBARKING FROM TRAIN PASSENGERS WALKING THROUGH STATION IDLE TRAIN IN THE STATION TRAIN PERSONNEL HELPING PASSENGERS IN STATION VARIOU
  • Embargoed: 7th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Economic News,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADY8NI8FACKRVLO2UD9KSKOB63
  • Story Text: The French awoke on Thursday morning (March 19) to nationwide strikes and protests called by the country's main unions to denounce President Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the economy.
    Up to 2.5 million people took to the streets for a similar day of action on Jan. 29, and union leaders hope even more demonstrators will turn out at some 200 rallies planned across the country for Thursday.
    The union protests started on Wednesday evening on the transport networks, with the national rail company SNCF predicting that 40 percent of high speed trains and up to 60 percent of local train traffic would be cancelled.
    Opinion polls say around 75 percent of voters back the protest movement, posing President Sarkozy his toughest challenge since he took office in May 2007.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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