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Unmerry Christmas as French Transport Strike Enters Fourth Week

Agence France-Presse

   PARIS - Christmas Day brought no respite for travelers in France as a
   transport strike entered its fourth week, ruining the plans of
   thousands to share a traditional meal and quality time with loved ones.

   Many scrambled at the last minute to make alternative arrangements as
   the protest against pension reform saw thousands of trains cancelled or
   delayed -- and taxis, ride-sharing services and car rental agencies
   unable to make up the shortfall.

   Only a fraction of high-speed and inter-city trains ran on Christmas
   Eve, even fewer on the holiday itself. The main train stations in Paris
   were closed for the morning with suburban connections slashed and
   merely two out of 16 metro lines -- the only driverless ones --
   providing any service.

   Negotiations between the government and unions last week failed to find
   common ground, and strikers vowed there would be no holiday truce
   unless officials scrap plans to merge the current 42 pension schemes
   into one.

   Talks are scheduled to resume on January 7.

   The government says the overhaul is needed to create a fairer pension
   system.

   But workers baulk at the inclusion of a so-called pivot age of 64 until
   which people would have to work to earn a full pension -- two years
   beyond the official retirement age.

   'A moment of grace'

   Others, especially railway workers, are angry at plans to do away with
   special regimes that make early retirement provisions for categories of
   employees who work unusual hours or do physically demanding jobs.

   Paris Opera workers, who can retire at 42, are among those on strike.

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