PARIS: French train and metro drivers withheld labour for the 19th straight day on Monday in a standoff with the government over pension reform, casting a pall over Christmas plans with many unable to reach loved ones. Talks between the government and unions last week failed to find middle ground, and strikers vowed there would be no holiday truce unless the overhaul plan is scrapped.
Starting on December 5, the strike has hit daily commuters hard — especially around Paris and other large cities — and is now impeding tens of thousands of ticket holders who had planned to spend the festive season with family or friends.
On Saturday and Sunday, the last weekend before Christmas, the SNCF rail operator provided half the usual number of TGV high-speed trains, a third of regional TER services, a quarter of inter-city trains, and one in five connecting Paris to its outer suburbs.
This sent thousands scrambling for alternative transport, with car rental agencies unable to meet the surge in demand. Nor will there be reprieve for those staying in Paris from the stoppage that has slashed train and metro services and caused high levels of frustration on overcrowded carriages.
The SNCF has announced that on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, it will halt trains between Paris and its suburbs. Some lines will reopen on Wednesday morning, others only on Thursday, meaning people will have to cancel plans to meet up with friends or family for Christmas lunch. — AFP
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