France rail strike to hit Eurostar services

A one-day strike by employees of France’s state-run rail network was expected to cause disruptions to Eurostar services to and from London today.

Four unions were joining the strike, which started at 7pm UK time yesterday and was to run through to 7am UK time tomorrow.

Unions are protesting at government plans to force transport workers to maintain minimum service during strikes, as well as a salary increase they consider insufficient.

Around 80% of Eurostar trains were expected to operate, according to a Eurostar statement. But a telephone recording for travellers said the strike meant that only two out of three trains would be operating.

The SNCF said that 65% of fast trains and half of regular trains would operate during the strike.

Deep cuts in traffic were expected on regional and suburban trains used by commuters to get to work in the French capital, with service on only 10% to 35% of trains guaranteed. Paris subways, however, were to run normally.

The strike was called to protest plans to maintain minimum service during strikes. But transport minister Gilles de Robien suggested today that the government would not be intimidated, calling it a “presidential priority”.

President Jacques Chirac pledged this month to introduce a new law forcing transport workers to maintain minimum service during strikes if negotiation between employers and unions fail to produce agreement within six months.

Rail workers also object to plans to raise workers’ pay by 1% in 2004 after a year of no salary increases. They also oppose plans to streamline freight services which, according to a document given to unions on Friday, will translate into 3,505 job losses – 2,164 of them in freight.