Nicolas Sarkozy's reformist government faces an outpouring of anger from French unions this week as airline pilots, train drivers, teachers, students and postal workers lead a series of strikes.In a sign of public sector unease at Sarkozy's drive to liberalise the French labour market, union leaders urged ministers not to push through changes to working conditions at a time of rising unemployment and job insecurity."The public services have to accept the fact that they cannot just do what they like," said Bernard Thibault, the head of France's most powerful union, the CGT. "They cannot just unilaterally impose changes [on working conditions]."Air France pilots, protesting against moves to raise their retirement age from 60 to 65, were the first group to register their dissent this week. Despite a promise from the government that such a step would be "optional", the four-day strike continued yesterday, leading to the cancellation of 40% of the airline's flights.
Nicolas Sarkozy's reformist government faces an outpouring of anger from French unions this week as airline pilots, train drivers, teachers, students and postal workers lead a series of strikes.
In a sign of public sector unease at Sarkozy's drive to liberalise the French labour market, union leaders urged ministers not to push through changes to working conditions at a time of rising unemployment and job insecurity.
"The public services have to accept the fact that they cannot just do what they like," said Bernard Thibault, the head of France's most powerful union, the CGT. "They cannot just unilaterally impose changes [on working conditions]."
Air France pilots, protesting against moves to raise their retirement age from 60 to 65, were the first group to register their dissent this week. Despite a promise from the government that such a step would be "optional", the four-day strike continued yesterday, leading to the cancellation of 40% of the airline's flights.
