Strikes over pensions hit France

[frigidmagi]

BBC

France's main trade unions have held a day of demonstrations and strikes to protest against government plans to change the state pension system.

Transport workers led the national stoppage, with only half of trains running across France.

Hundreds of thousands took part in protests in many cities, in what unions called an "undeniable success".

President Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking to increase the number of years worked to draw a full pension from 40 to 41.

Travel by train, bus and underground was disrupted across France.

However high-speed trains between Paris, London and Brussels were not affected, and flights to and from Paris were operating as normal.

Postal services were reduced, while state-run radio played music rather than provide normal programmes.

Demonstrations were held in Paris and at least 126 other cities.

Union leaders say a total of 700,000 people took part, but police put the number at 296,000.

Job cuts

Thursday's walkouts did not causing the widespread chaos of last November, when transport workers staged a nine-day strike against Mr Sarkozy's plan to scrap their special pension rights.

The government and the unions negotiated an end to the strikes but now workers are upset over plans to make all French workers stay on the job one year longer before receiving a full state pension