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Last Updated: Thursday, 18 October 2007, 06:34 GMT 07:34 UK 
France wakes to transport misery

France is facing a nationwide one-day strike by public transport workers that has left the country with almost no train, bus or metro services.
The strike began on Wednesday at 2000 local time (1800 GMT).
It is the first test of President Nicolas Sarkozy's resolve to push through public sector reform including plans to scrap pension privileges.
(...)
Trade unions plan to hold street demonstrations in some 60 towns and cities in their campaign to protect pension systems enjoyed by 1.6m rail, energy and other workers.
Just 46 TGV fast trains were running out of the normal 700, the state-owned rail company SNCF said. 
(...)
Bernard Thibault of the General Labour Confederation warned more strikes could follow.
Workers were "fed up with being constantly portrayed as privileged or in some way guilty on the issue of pensions", he added.
However, labour minister Xavier Bertrand said on Wednesday that the reforms were "indispensable".
Mr Sarkozy said on Tuesday that he would press ahead with the reforms "calmly but firmly".
Only 6% of pensions are classed as "special regime", which allows beneficiaries to retire after 37.5 years worked, compared with 40 years for other public and private sector employees.
Currently, workers in jobs deemed physically demanding can retire at the age of 50.
The government says the cost to the budget of the special regime will be 5bn euros (£3.48bn) this year. 

Full:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7050123.stm

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