France: Public-sector strike over 'reforms'

Nationwide strikes in France on March 22 have hobbled public services from transport to schools as part of a union campaign to put the brakes on right-wing reforms planned by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

But new labour minister Eric Woerth vowed to press on with changes to the "extremely fragile" pension system — the most controversial proposal.

Unions say Sarkozy's conservative government hadn't offered satisfactory plans on jobs, salaries, purchasing power and working conditions.

They hope to hammer home that message in the wake of the March 21 regional run-off elections in which the opposition Socialist Party won 23 of France's 26 regions.

Sarkozy reshuffled his government in response to the electoral defeat, notably replacing labour minister Socialist Party, who was trounced in the voting and was considered to have lost the legitimacy needed to continue the contested reforms.

The transport strike caused significant disruption. Fast trains to Britain and Belgium were running normally, but only 65% of rail traffic was guaranteed within France.

The education ministry said an estimated 30% of primary school teachers failed to show up for class nationwide. About 18% were out in junior high schools and 11% in high schools.

[Abridged from the British Morning Star.]

From GLW issue 832