New public transport strike looms in France

Dec 8, 2007, 12:09 GMT

Paris - A new public transport strike loomed in France just weeks after the mass downing of tools by French railway workers as the powerful CGT union Saturday called a 24-hour strike for December 13 at SNCF national railway, France Info-Radio reported.

Worker representatives had earlier called a strike at RATP - the urban transit system serving greater Paris for next Wednesday.

A 10-day railway and public transport strike last month caused severe traffic problems in France.

Experts have put the costs of the strike at 5 billion euros (7.3 billion dollars) while the government has mentioned daily costs of 300 to 400 million euros.

The labour conflict has arisen over a proposed pension reform that aims to end certain retirement privileges for some 500,000 workers in the railway and energy sectors.

Under the reform, rank-and-file union members would have their years of payment into the pension system increased from 37.5 to 40 years, a proposal the government has vowed not to withdraw.

SNCF has reportedly put forward an offer that would give workers affected by the reform a supplementary pension and wage hikes toward the end of their careers, measures that could cost up to 100 million euros annually.

Talks between employers, unions and government representatives are currently underway to reach a solution. The unions seek to exert even more pressure with the renewed strike.