French railway workers set to kick off one-day strike

French railway workers were planning to kick off a general strike late today, the latest salvo of protest by trade unions and student groups angry over the government’s new labour law.

Unions for national trains operator SNCF urged rank-and-file to walk off the job starting at 8pm. (7pm Irish time) today. The strike was expected to swell to full force tomorrow, leaving some air travellers stranded, disrupting train traffic and slowing Metro travel in Paris.