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France industrial unrest: Paris metro workers join national rail strike France industrial unrest: Air threat lifts as rail strikes continue
(about 7 hours later)
Workers on the Paris metro and suburban rail networks are joining French national rail workers on strike, little more than a week before the Euro 2016 football championship is due to begin. Threats of French air traffic disruption this weekend have been lifted, ministers say, although a rail strike is still halving services.
In addition, dock workers are expected to stop work and hold their own protest. Four of five unions have called off air traffic control action, with Transport Minister Alain Vidalies assuring there would be no disruption.
Fears of the strike spreading to the Paris metro have not materialised.
Trade unions are protesting against work time changes but the strike comes amid general labour unrest.Trade unions are protesting against work time changes but the strike comes amid general labour unrest.
The wider protests are over a bill to shake up the labour market. The main focus is a labour reform bill that gives companies more leeway to hire and fire workers, reduce pay or extend working hours.
However, the disruption to public transport in Paris is expected to be limited. The unrest and travel disruption is of particular concern given that France is hosting the Euro 2016 football championship next month. Some 2.5 million people, 1.5 million of them foreigners, are expected to attend dozens of matches nationwide.
On the national rail network, about 60% of high-speed trains and between a third and a half of other services were expected to be running, the state rail company the SNCF said. Mr Vidalies said on Thursday that four of the five unions who had given notice of an air traffic control strike from 3 to 5 June had called it off.
The labour reform bill comes before the Senate this month, having passed through the lower house without a vote. He also said that traffic was normal on the Paris metro, as well as on buses and trams in the capital.
France's Socialist President, Francois Hollande, insists it will not be withdrawn despite months of unrest which erupted into street clashes between protesters and police at marches last Thursday. The fifth union, the militant CGT, still has a hold over the state-run SNCF rail services, where only about a third of inter-city links and 60% of high-speed TGVs are running.
However, leading conservative opposition politician Nicolas Sarkozy has accused him of getting "everything wrong from the start" in his handling of the crisis. The strike action began on Tuesday evening.
"Pushing [the bill] through by force cuts out debate," the former president told magazine Valeurs Actuelles. "If you don't accept the debate of ideas in parliament, then it moves to the streets." The CGT also continues to disrupt oil refineries, docks and nuclear power plants.
There was also some airport disruption on Thursday, particularly at Orly and Lille, with Air France cancelling 10% of flights.
French labour reform bill - main pointsFrench labour reform bill - main points
Strike action led by the powerful CGT union began on Tuesday evening - the eighth railway strike in France in three months. Labour Minister Myriam el-Khomri urged the CGT "to show some form of economic patriotism. Just when the economy is picking up, we shouldn't weaken it".
Commuters vented their anger with the SNCF on social media but a poll in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper suggested 46% of French people still support the unions' calls. But CGT head Philippe Martinez again accused the government of refusing to talk.
Air transport is also expected to be disrupted this month by industrial action not linked directly to the labour law reform. New protests against the labour law were planned on Thursday in Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse, Marseille and Paris.
The next national day of action by trade unionists is due on 14 June, when the labour reform goes to the Senate. However, one opinion poll in Le Figaro suggested public support for the strike may now be waning, with 60% saying the CGT was abusing its position.
The labour reform bill comes before the Senate this month, having passed through the lower house without a vote.
The next national day of action by trade unionists is due on 14 June.
France's Socialist President Francois Hollande insists the bill will not be withdrawn despite months of unrest which erupted into street clashes between protesters and police at marches last Thursday.
Have you been affected by the strikes? Do you have plans to travel to France in the coming days?Have you been affected by the strikes? Do you have plans to travel to France in the coming days?
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