French workers strike to demand pay rises keep pace with inflation

Protesters shout during a demonstration in Marseille (Daniel Cole/AP)

Workers across France have gone on strike to push for pay rises that keep up with inflation following weeks of walkouts that have hit oil refineries and sparked fuel shortages.

Rail and other transport workers, some high school teachers and public hospital employees have heeded a call by an oil workers’ union for French industry to push for salary increases and protest against government intervention in the refinery strikes.