France braced for huge new strike

Civil servants and students are to join striking transport workers as France enters a second week of industrial action. Postal workers, teachers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff are holding a 24-hour stoppage to protest against planned pay and job cuts. France braced for huge new strike Students are also upset over plans to grant universities more autonomy. It could be the largest protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since he took power in May. Meanwhile, transport workers are beginning the seventh day of an indefinite strike against planned pension cuts. Their protests have affected millions of commuters across France. Joint action plea Eight unions have called on millions of public sector workers to join the one-day strike. The unions are hoping for strong participation as many employees oppose government plans to not replace some civil servants as they retire. Students, some of whom have been blocking buildings at dozens of campuses across France in the past week, are now protesting over plans to allow universities more autonomy to find non-government funding. Officially, the public sector protest is separate from the ongoing rail dispute. The transport workers' industrial action was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by 500,000 staff, mainly in the rail and energy sectors, as well as by 1.1 million pensioners. But many rail workers have been pushing for the two protest movements to be merged under a common umbrella of low spending power. Tough times On Monday the transport unions voted to extend the walkout, though the number of strikers has reportedly been dropping since the strike began last Tuesday. Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France at least $440m a day. However, half of the country's high-speed TGV trains are expected to operate on Tuesday, said national rail operator SNCF. Eurostar trains between Paris and London have not been affected. But commuter trains, metro and bus services in Paris are all expected to be heavily reduced. Despite the vote by transport unions to extend their strike, there has been some movement towards negotiations. Unions have agreed to attend negotiations with the state rail company management on Wednesday. The government has somewhat relaxed its earlier stance that it would not enter talks unless strikers return to work. On Monday Prime Minister Francois Fillon said rail traffic must "progressively restart" for talks to take place. But he remained firm on the government's commitment to overhaul the French economy. "The government will not be able to budge on the principles because it has a mandate to move this reform forward," Fillon said. Opinion polls have so far suggested that there is broad support for Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public sector employees retire on a full pension as early as 50.

France braced for huge new strike

Students are also upset over plans to grant universities more autonomy.

It could be the largest protest against President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform plans since he took power in May.

Meanwhile, transport workers are beginning the seventh day of an indefinite strike against planned pension cuts. Their protests have affected millions of commuters across France.

Joint action plea

Eight unions have called on millions of public sector workers to join the one-day strike.

The unions are hoping for strong participation as many employees oppose government plans to not replace some civil servants as they retire.

Students, some of whom have been blocking buildings at dozens of campuses across France in the past week, are now protesting over plans to allow universities more autonomy to find non-government funding.

Officially, the public sector protest is separate from the ongoing rail dispute.

The transport workers' industrial action was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by 500,000 staff, mainly in the rail and energy sectors, as well as by 1.1 million pensioners.

But many rail workers have been pushing for the two protest movements to be merged under a common umbrella of low spending power.

Tough times

On Monday the transport unions voted to extend the walkout, though the number of strikers has reportedly been dropping since the strike began last Tuesday.

Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France at least $440m a day.

However, half of the country's high-speed TGV trains are expected to operate on Tuesday, said national rail operator SNCF.

Eurostar trains between Paris and London have not been affected.

But commuter trains, metro and bus services in Paris are all expected to be heavily reduced.

Despite the vote by transport unions to extend their strike, there has been some movement towards negotiations.

Unions have agreed to attend negotiations with the state rail company management on Wednesday.

The government has somewhat relaxed its earlier stance that it would not enter talks unless strikers return to work.

On Monday Prime Minister Francois Fillon said rail traffic must "progressively restart" for talks to take place.

But he remained firm on the government's commitment to overhaul the French economy.

"The government will not be able to budge on the principles because it has a mandate to move this reform forward," Fillon said.

Opinion polls have so far suggested that there is broad support for Sarkozy, who says France can no longer afford to let some public sector employees retire on a full pension as early as 50.