- Title: FRANCE: RAILWAY WORKERS BEGIN 36-HOUR STRIKE.
- Date: 13th May 2004
- Summary: (W3) PARIS, FRANCE (13 MAY 2004) (REUTERS) 1. LAS: EXTERIOR OF ST LAZARE TRAIN STATION 0.06 2. GV: COMMUTERS WALKING INSIDE STATION, LOUDSPEAKERS ANNOUNCING DISRUPTED SCHEDULE (2 SHOTS) 0.23 3. GV: ELECTRONIC PANEL ANNOUNCING DISRUPTED SERVICE 0.31 4. MCU; COMMUTERS TALKING TO TRAIN STATION STAFF, LOOKING AT OPTIONS 0.39 5. GV: TRAINS ON RAILWAY 0.44 6. GV/CU: COMMUTERS INSIDE STATION, WATCHING SCHEDULES (3 SHOTS) 0.55 7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) PASSENGER MARIE SAYING: "It is hard but one ends up getting oneself organised. We try to get information ahead of time. For example, I have to go to Rouen, and I had to come here in order to find out if I'd have a train. They say 50 percent of traffic is in service, but you don't know whether you will be on time. All that requires that you invest a lot more of your personal time. It has become a reality of our daily lives, at least for us in the Paris region." 1.20 8. MCU: COMMUTERS CHATTING 1.23 9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) PASSENGER MONIQUE SAYING: "I find it a bit sad. Whatever they right to the strike may be, it's always the user who ends up taken hostage, because at the end of the day our employer will expect from us that we do our jobs, regardless of the problems we have encountered to arrive there." 1.41 10. MCU: COMMUTERS TRYING TO OBTAIN SCHEDULE INFORMATION 1.44 11. GV/MV: SECURITY INSIDE STATION (2 SHOTS) 1.52 12. CU/MV: COMMUTERS WALKING AROUND AND LOOKING AT SCHEDULES (2 SHOTS) 2.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA8Z0Q3L3LF5J7IM9JCNJKTYEQV
- Story Text: A national train workers strike has disrupted
traffic in France, with approximately 50 percent of trains
being out of service.
French railway workers began a 36-hour strike on
Wednesday (12 May) which is disrupting commuter services
into Paris on Thursday (13 May).
Trade unions called the stoppage to protest against planned
government-backed job cuts at SNCF (SCTA.PA) - the latest
warning to the conservative administration that it faces
popular opposition to reforms and moves to shake up
state-owned groups.
In the greater Paris region, train services were expected
to be reduced by almost half on Thursday, SNCF said in a
statement. Around 70 percent of express inter-city TGV
trains would run and international Thalys and Eurostar
trains should run as normal.
At St Lazare station in central Paris, commuters packed
underneath schedule advisory panels, trying to find out
about their chances to make it to work on time.
"I find it a bit sad. Whatever they right to the strike may
be, it's always the user who ends up taken hostage, because
at the end of the day our employer will expect from us that
we do our jobs, regardless of the problems we have
encountered to arrive there", a passenger called Monique
told Reuters Television.
Trade unions called the strike, which began at 8 p.m. (1800
GMT) and was due to run until 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday,
in protest at a planned overhaul of SNCF's freight division
which is set to result in 2,500 job losses this year.
The strike highlights union opposition to government
efforts to overhaul and privatise state-run companies and
also comes ahead of a controversial reform of the national
health insurance system planned for later this year.
Nationwide strikes last year in protest at a pension reform
slashed public transport services and caused large traffic
jams.
Postal workers also planned a strike on Thursday (13 May)
against expected job cuts. On Tuesday, a strike by French
airport workers in protest at privatisation plans disrupted
flights in and out of Paris's Charles de Gaulle and Orly
airports.
On Tuesday, unions called on energy workers to stage a
national 24-hour strike on June 15 in opposition to
government plans to partially privatise state-owned
utilities Electricite de France (EDF) and Gaz de France
(GDF).
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