- Title: FRANCE: French flights hit by strike
- Date: 29th January 2009
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 29, 2009) (REUTERS) PLANES ON TARMAC VARIOUS OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AT A HALF ON PARIS PERIFERIQUE HIGHWAY LEADING TO AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 13th February 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA16CFZBM1CACM7TSDXT48MZOKC
- Story Text: Flight delays in France as unions begin nationwide strike in protest over jobs and wages.
Flights at Orly airport in Paris have been hit by Thursday's (January 29) nationwide transport strike. Some services have been cancelled, others affected by delays.
Hundreds of thousands of workers are expected to take part in the stoppage.
Air France was expected to cancel 30 percent of short and medium haul flights from Orly airport, south of Paris, and 10 percent from Charles de Gaulle. The airline was expected to run all its long haul flights.
Workers from the state railway company kicked off the action at 1900 GMT on Wednesday.
In a rare show of unity, the eight national unions have issued a joint call to strike and a list of demands on the government and on companies, which they accuse of using the crisis as a pretext to lay off workers and cut costs.
In a radio interview, the head of the hardline CGT union, Bernard Thibault expressed popular anger over what unions say are insufficient measures by the government to tackle the economic crisis.
He hoped the government would take notice of the number of people taking part in the strike including those who're demonstrating for the first time.
The strike is not about a single issue but rather aims to convey fears of unemployment, discontent over President Nicolas Sarkozy's stimulus measures and resentment towards "speculators" blamed for the economic slump. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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