News / France

Rail strike affects train services across France

Wednesday, 18 May 2016 2:07 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 18 May 2016 2:07 PM ]

A staff member of France’s national rail company SNCF stands on a platform inside the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris, April 26, 2016 during a strike. ©Reuters

Local and national train traffic across France has been disrupted due to an industrial action by railway workers against unpopular labor reforms proposed by the government of President Francois Hollande.

France’s national rail company, SNCF, said a third of the country’s high speed trains are being canceled on Wednesday.

Only half of suburban trains are circulating on certain lines in the French capital, Paris.

Wednesday’s rail strike is set to run until Friday morning.

However, the work stoppage will not affect international lines as Eurostar trains to London and Thalys trains to Brussels are expected to run normally. In addition, Paris subway is not disrupted by the strike.

Rail unions argue that the government’s planned changes to the labor law will negatively affect their working hours.

Also on Wednesday, some truck drivers continued their industrial action that had started a day earlier, blocking roads around cities in western France.

Truck drivers blockade a road to protest against labor reforms in Caen, France, May 17, 2016. ©AFP

Port workers further joined the striking railway workers as Brittany Ferries announced mass cancellations of connections between the UK and northern France.

The French government says the proposed labor reforms focus on maximum working hours, holidays as well as breaks, and are aimed at curbing the country's unemployment rate.

Protesters and workers’ unions, however, say the government wants to make it easier and less costly for employers to lay off workers.

Protesters clash with riot police during a demonstration against labor reforms in Paris, France, May 17, 2016. ©Reuters

The controversial labor reforms provoked weeks of often violent demonstrations and added strains on French police.

Denouncing what it called mounting "anti-cop hatred,” the Alliance police union held a protest rally in Paris's Place de la Republique on Wednesday.

The draft labor bill, which is commonly referred to as the El Khomri law after Labor Minister Myriam El Khomri, was recently forced through the lower house of parliament, but it must be debated in the Senate.

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