Accessibility links

Breaking News

French Protests to Cause Widescale Train Disruption on Thursday


FILE - This file photo taken on June 01, 2016, deserted platforms are pictured at the Lyon Perrache railway station, during a strike of employees of French state-owned rail operator SNCF, protesting against government labor reforms.
FILE - This file photo taken on June 01, 2016, deserted platforms are pictured at the Lyon Perrache railway station, during a strike of employees of French state-owned rail operator SNCF, protesting against government labor reforms.

French commuters face major train service disruptions on Thursday due to an unexpectedly large walkout by railway workers angry at the government's plans to shake up the state-owned and highly indebted SNCF rail company.

Labor unions said last week they would launch rolling strikes in early April, but France's transport minister said many were planning to join a wider day of public service protests on Thursday, reducing rail services by 50 percent.

"There will ultimately be serious disruption tomorrow," Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne said.

Unions are on a collision course with the government over its plans for the biggest shake-up of SNCF (Societe Nationale des Chemins de Fer) since the nationalization of the railways in the 1930s. Among the government's plans are the trimming of benefits received by SNCF's 260,000 employees and a cut in its 45 billion euro ($56 billion) debt.

The showdown was due to start with strikes two days a week over three months from April 3. It is shaping up as the biggest test of Emmanuel Macron's presidency since the 40-year-old came to power last May on a promise of sweeping economic reforms.

Thursday's stoppages are not part of the programmed rolling strikes. They are being organized to dovetail with a day of demonstrations by civil servants and public service employees opposed to plans to change the retirement system.

Minister Borne said the stoppages would halve regional rail services nationally and that high-speed TGV connections between major cities would be cut to 40 percent of normal levels.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG