Millions of striking workers shut banks, schools, government offices and public transport Friday to protest plans to overhaul the debt-ridden social security system and partially privatize key utilities.
It was the second major strike in two months and raised the pressure on the 6-month-old conservative government of Prime Minister Alain Juppe, which is trying to cut a $64 billion budget deficit. A third strike is planned for Tuesday.The labor stoppages are taking place at a time of rising tension in France's 90 public universities, where many students have backed up their demands for additional resources and teachers with weeks of strikes.
Thousands of demonstrators marched in Paris, Toulouse, Marseille, Rennes, Bordeaux, Lyon and other cities.
In Paris, 12,000 people gathered at the Place de la Republique under huge signs reading, "Together for public service, our status, our retirements" and "Social Security is Life." Drums were banged and colorful balloons were painted with slogans.
"This is a demonstration rich in meaning and import because it involves an issue of considerable importance to the French - the protection of their social security system," Louis Viannet, head of the Communist-led CGT union, told Associated Press Television as he marched through the capital.
Unions representing about 5 million public employees are upset over plans to increase taxes and extend the number of years they must pay into the social security system before they can retire.
Public transportation ground to a near halt in Paris and several major provincial cities. Mail and newspapers went undelivered, and most schools, banks, museums and government offices were closed. Hospital services were scaled back and electrical power was reduced, though officials said customers were not affected.
All commuter and long-distance train traffic was halted Friday morning with the exception of a few high-speed trains. Ten of 12 trains linking Paris with London under the English Channel were scheduled to operate as usual, but protesters prevented two of the trains from leaving Paris Friday morning.
Only 16 percent of scheduled flights operated, the Civil Aviation Administration reported.
Unions representing workers at some private companies issued strike calls, but it was not immediately clear to what extent they were being followed.
The French economy shows serious signs of slowing. It grew at an annual rate of just 1 percent over the past six months, and government experts have revised their forecasts of next year's growth down by nearly a third to 2 percent.
"We need the courage to reform social security, to control our deficits, the courage of reforming taxes and the universities," Foreign Minister Herve de Charette told France Inter radio. "If we don't, it will get worse."
The government's proposals to close a $46 billion social security deficit include tax hikes and extending the number of years a public employee must pay into the system from 371/2 to 40.
Working in Juppe's favor is a split within the French labor movement. The French Democratic Confederation of Workers, one of the three largest labor unions, supports some key elements in the government's plan.