French transport workers stage one-day nationwide strike

THOUSANDS of workers staged a nationwide one-day strike in France to challenge President Nicolas Sarkoz's plans to cut pensions and increase the retirement age, reported Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE).

Dockers union Federation Nationale des Ports et Docks-Confederation Generale de Travail (FNPD-CGT) is also supporting the strike making disruption to port activities a possibility, while some postal services could also be hit as La Poste staff walk out.

State-owned railway Societe Nationale Chemin de fer France (SNCF) suffered disruptions with only one out of two trains running on average on high-speed, international and regional services, said RTE.

The French Civil Aviation Authority told airlines to cut flights 15 per cent between 7am and 2pm at Paris Roissy-CDG and Orly, reported London's International Freighting Weekly.

SNCF warned freight customers that there is likely to be serious consequences on its traffic network, reported IFW, adding that unions at Air France said they would strike too.
(Source:www.schednet.com)