Unions and students plan national day of strikes

FRENCH unions and student groups yesterday called a national day of strikes for March 28 to protest a youth jobs plan that has already provoked massive street demonstrations and paralysed many universities.

Unions had set a deadline for Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to withdraw the jobs plan last night or face a possible general strike but he showed few signs of backing down.

At a meeting with student groups, Villepin simply urged more dialogue.