Major disruption in sept 23 strike

EXPECT DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS AND MINIMUM LEVELS OF SERVICE TODAY AS MILLIONS OF WORKERS TAKE PART IN PENSION PROTESTS TRAINS, planes, hospitals and schools will be hit by a nationwide day of

strike action today, as workers protest against pension reforms. Eight major trade unions have called on France’s 5.3 million civil servants to walk out. More than 230 demonstrations are

planned in towns and cities around the country. The unions hope to beat the turnout on September 7, when up to 2.7 million people took to the streets. They are protesting against plans to

raise the state pension age in France from 60 to 62 by 2018. SCHOOLS Teachers at every level of the education system will be taking part in the strike. The biggest primary teachers’ union,

SNUipp-FSU, says more than half of teachers will not be working. Most schools will offer a minimum level of service. TRAINS Three rail workers’ unions, the CGT, CFDT and Unsa, have called a

24-hour strike. Three others, Sud Rail, FO and the CFTC, want to extend the strike indefinitely. TGV and TER: Half of trains running Transilien: 40 per cent at peak times only Corail: 25 per

cent of day trains running, no Lunéa sleeper trains Intercités: 30 per cent of services operating Eurostar should be operating a normal service and Thalys will run nine out of 10 trains.

METRO AND BUSES There will be a normal service on lines 1, 14, 4, 6 and 11. Most of the other lines will run at about 50 per cent. Three quarters of buses in the capital are running. The

worst of the RER lines will be line B, where only a third of trains will run. Passengers will also have to change trains at the Gare du Nord because there are no through trains. RER A is

running one train in two and there are 40 per cent of services running on lines C, D and E. The strike will also affect local bus and tram services in towns and cities around France. FLIGHTS

A number of local union branches representing air traffic controllers have been on strike since September 15 and the action has intensified today. Half of flights serving Paris Orly airport

are cancelled and 40 per cent at Charles de Gaulle. Regional airports are also affected. The French civil aviation authority recommends that travellers check with their airline before

heading out. Ryanair's listed of cancelled flights Easyjet flight info ELSEWHERE Courts, banks, museums, post offices and job centres will also be affected. Many hospitals will be

operating with a skeleton staff. FIND OUT MORE SNCF - 08 05 90 36 35 Mainline trains - infolignes.com Live departure boards - gares-en-mouvement.com Transilien - 0805 700 805 RATP - 0 800 15

11 11. Photo:milphoto - Fotolia.com