LOC21:52
18:52 GMT
PARIS, Dec 10 (KUNA) -- France will face a seventh day of major public-sector strikes on Wednesday, with traffic and transport chaos predicted countrywide and especially in urban centres.
Rail operator SNCF said Tuesday that only one in four mainline, high-speed "TGV" trains would be operating and urban rail services would be only ensured at between 10 percent and 20 percent. International rail services will also be disrupted.
In Paris, the regional RATP transport company said that 10 lines on the 14 major metro subway lines would be completely closed.
Buses have also been striking and even those wanting to leave bus depots to work have been blocked by union pickets.
All but one of France's seven major refineries are blocked by pickets, preventing fuel and gasoline from leaving depots although no major shortages have been reported, with the exception of western regions of France.
Airline services with national carrier Air France will again be disrupted Wednesday.
The strikes, which began last Thursday, have also been joined by some teachers, energy workers and health workers and some other public sectors.
Even tourist monuments like the Eiffel Tower and state-owned museums have been closed by strikers.
In a new development, 60 percent of hospital interns walked off the job on Tuesday to protest working conditions and salary levels in a move unrelated to pension reforms.
The major protests erupted because of a government proposal to reform and harmonise the retirement system that has 42 "specialised sectors" that allow workers in those areas to retire early in normal conditions.
Some, like SNCF train drivers, can retire in their early 50s, as can RATP metro drivers.
France's legal age to retire is 62 but the government maintains this is too young given the longevity of retirees and the need to finance the system for future generations.
Many of the reforms would not apply to people in work today but would be progressively introduced to people entering or who have recently joined the work force.
Tuesday brought the second nationwide protest in a week here, with hundreds of marches to protest the reforms, but fewer people turned out today compared with Thursday last, when 800,000 demonstrated countrywide.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is to reveal the full set of retirement reforms to parliament on Wednesday, after last-minute talks with unions brought no compromise. (end)
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