France braces for rail strike

[HenryTo]

While the Chinese and Indians continue to try to advance themselves, the French and the Germans continue to shoot themselves in the foot:
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France braces for rail strike

Sunday, November 20, 2005; Posted: 11:43 a.m. EST (16:43 GMT)

PARIS, France (AP) -- Travelers and commuters in France face the prospect of major disruptions to train traffic as drivers at the state-run rail operator prepared to strike on Monday.

The strike at the SNCF rail network was one of the biggest protests in a week of demonstrations expected this week by groups as diverse as researchers, teachers, interns and Paris transit workers.

The rail authority predicted major disruptions to regional and Paris area traffic after the indefinite walkout begins at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

About two in five high-speed TGV trains were expected to operate as normal, while 80 percent of international trains would run, it said.

Four unions representing train drivers called the walkout to protest restructuring, job cuts, pay and what they see as creeping privatization of the train operator.

Transportation Minister Dominique Perben, hoping to defuse the conflict between labor and management, sought to quell fears among some unions that the rail operator could one day be privatized.

"I have emphasized my desire not to privatize the SNCF," he was quoted in weekly Journal du Dimanche as saying. "Today, unions want a written confirmation -- and I'm ready to give it to them."

Perben said he would not yield on unions' demands for an end to private-sector financing for new lines, saying that abandoning it would only stall development of the TGV network.

About 1,000 SNCF workers joined thousands of other public sector workers who marched in Paris on Saturday to protest against government efforts to privatize some public services.

Police said some 10,000 took part in the peaceful march, while organizers put the figure at 25,000.

Also this week, the Communist-backed CGT union plans to lead Paris transportation workers in a one-day strike Wednesday over pay and benefits.

The same day, a top union of researchers is planning to hold a protest against a planned government "research pact" that they insist would jeopardize jobs and fall short of funding needs.

Two unions representing secondary school teachers are planning a Thursday work stoppage to protest against budget restrictions, job cuts and a new substitute teacher system announced by the government.