French workers strike over economic crisis

A nationwide strike by workers anxious about the global economic crisis caused transport delays, choked public services and left millions of schoolchildren without teachers throughout France today.

In Paris, commuters cycled, walked and even took boats to get to work in freezing temperatures.

Railway workers led the walkout that the French are calling “Black Thursday”.

Protest marches were planned throughout the day in some 200 municipalities.

Thousands of teachers, postal employees, and hospital staff stayed away from work.

In the private sector, many banks were shut and some workers at factories hit by lay-offs also joined the strike.