FRANCE: Strikes kick off as unions fight pension reform plans

Record ID: 339469

  • Title: FRANCE: Strikes kick off as unions fight pension reform plans
  • Date: 7th September 2010
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 6, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS ST LAZARE TRAIN STATION CLOCK COUNTING DOWN TO 1900 VARIOUS COMMUTERS LOOKING AT TRAIN BOARDS WOMAN LOOKING AT TRAFFIC INFORMATION VARIOUS PASSENGERS BOARDING TRAINS PASSENGERS LOOKING AT INFORMATION BOARDS (SOUNDBITE) (French) COMMUTER SAYING: "There's a problem with pensions and it's everybody's problem. It's
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Employment
  • Reuters ID: LVACXGIQHI3JYZY2SNZFSYUDQFJX
  • Story Text: French trains were the first public service to be affected on Monday evening (September 6) as unions prepared for a major day of protest over a proposed rise in the retirement age that could bring severe disruption to services ranging from transport to schools.
    Commuters rushed to make the last trains home from Paris' St Lazare station as the seconds ticked down to seven o'clock and avoid the cancellations to services that were due to come immediately afterwards as workers downed their tools over the government's plans to reform the pension system and raise the retirement age.
    The strikes are expected to hit services ranging from transport to schools, closing government offices and filling the roads with traffic.
    They are mostly scheduled to last 24 hours and organised to coincide with the presentation of the pension reform bill to parliament.
    The French unions, hope that two million or more will take to the streets in nationwide protests.
    National train company SNCF warned that roughly two in every five of its Paris commuter services and 40 percent of its high-speed trains would be running but only one quarter of its regional trains. Eurostar services to London were due to operate but high-speed services to Brussels would be hit.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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