France: Rolling rail strike continue to disrupt travel

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

Millions of commuters across France on Wednesday were facing another wave of crippling transport chaos caused by rolling strikes called by state railway unions to protest reform plans announced by President Emmanuel Macron and his government.

A total of 36 days of rolling strikes -- which started on April 3 -- are scheduled over three months.

Although the impact of the strike is easing and trains are running, major disruptions still hamper regional mainline services.

One high-speed TGV train out of three is operating, as well as two of five regional trains.

Macron on Wednesday urged the unions "to stop blocking" the country as parliament has already voted for the railway reform pact.

Four labor unions have called for action against government plans to revamp the debt-laden SNCF ahead of an opening to competition in 2019.

Reforms also include the cancellation of a special status historically given to railway workers by 2020 -- which guarantees them a job for life and early retirement -- for new recruits.

"The status quo is not viable," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in an interview published in the newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday. "It’s urgent, we need to advance, and everyone should know we are determined to see this through to the end."

Separately, seven main public sector trade unions called for a one-day strike on May 22 to protest Macron's plans to reform the eurozone's second largest economy.

Below are the proposed dates for SNCF strikes over the next three months:

April:

- Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19

- Monday 23 and Tuesday 24

- Saturday 28 and Sunday 29

May:

- Thursday 3 and Friday 4

- Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9

- Sunday 13 and Monday 14

- Friday 18 and Saturday 19

- Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24

- Monday 28 and Tuesday 29

June:

- Saturday 2 and Sunday 3

- Thursday 7 and Friday 8

- Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13

- Sunday 17 and Monday 18

- Friday 22 and Saturday 23

- Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28