France grapples with strike chaos

November 14, 2007

France was plunged into transport chaos for the second time in a month Wednesday as striking rail unions staged a show of strength against the economic reform plans of President Nicolas Sarkozy. Nationwide fewer than a quarter of trains ran normally, and in Paris most of the metro system and buses were at a standstill. Several unions are taking the strike to a second day in hopes of gaining negotiating power against the government on the issue of public pensions reform.