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France heads for 'hellish' strike as Sarkozy confronts unions
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| Contributor | Patrick |
| Last Edited | Patrick Nov 13, 2007 12:51pm |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Tuesday, November 13, 2007 06:50:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | PARIS (AFP) — France faced several "hellish" days as transport unions prepared on Tuesday to launch open-ended strikes, but President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed he would not retreat from reform.
The national rail network faces major disruption starting from 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Tuesday. On Wednesday the shutdown will also hit Paris metro and suburban commuter trains. Power workers and students plan to join the protest.
"Tomorrow is going to be a hellish day for travellers and perhaps for many days beyond that," Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand warned.
"Millions of French people will be deprived of their fundamental freedom, the freedom of movement and even perhaps to work," Prime Minister Francois Fillon told parliament.
Police used truncheons and tear gas to break up a student protest at a Paris university in the hours before the strikes which are seen as a make-or-break test for Sarkozy and his reform agenda.
Only 90 of the 700 high-speed TGV trains will be running, commuter service will be severely disrupted in the Paris region and there will be "almost no" metro service in the capital, according to metro operator RATP and rail operator SNCF. |
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