FRANCE: Protests challenge Nicolas Sarkozy' s reform plans

Thousands of civil servants staged a walkout on Tuesday (November 20), worsening the disturbances in the public sector as the on-going transport strike entered its seventh day. Public sector workers oppose a government plan to trim public sector jobs by not replacing some workers retiring in the coming years and also say their purchasing power is being eroded. French President Nicolas Sarkozy's ministry issued a statement on Monday (November 19) saying public sector workers' purchasing power had in fact increased by 2.4 percent in 2007. Trade unions called on more than 5,000 public sector workers including teachers, postal workers and nurses to stage a 24 hour strike in an appeal that appears to have been largely followed, according to the preliminary numbers. Protesting workers took to the streets in large numbers holding up flags and banners in protest against Sarkozy's reforms in a march that took them from Place d'Italie in the south-east of Paris to Invalides in the west of the capital. Schools, tax offices, hospitals, France Telecom and public administrations were all hit. Paris' two airports and Marseille's airport in the south also suffered delays and cancellations after air traffic controllers voted for a 24-hour strike. Students, who are blocking access to buildings at dozens of campuses across France, and some high school pupils also took part in Tuesday's demonstrations in protest at a government reform granting more autonomy to universities. There were no new newspapers on sale at newsstands on Tuesday because of a one-day strike by distributors protesting over a reform of their highly-regulated sector that is set to cause some job losses. The multitude of protests which have disrupted schools, trains, postal services and airports, are regarded as the biggest threat to Sarkozy's planned reforms since he was elected president in May.

ITN Source | November 20, 2007

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