France sees new strikes for better life standards

PARIS (AA) - The French trade union CGT is once again calling for cross-industry strikes for "increase in wages, pensions, and minimum social standards" as well as "the defense of pensions and the right to strike," the union announced in a press release on Thursday.

In parallel with the strike calls of the CGT, the unions Force Ouvriere and Unsa have also announced strikes at the operator of public transport RATP in Paris.

Seven lines on the Paris metro will be closed on Thursday and traffic on the RER commuter trains in the Ile-de-France region will be "very badly affected," the Paris transport operator announced on its website.

The CGT also announced 125 rallies across France.

In Paris, the union organization will meet at 2 p.m. local time (1300GMT) at Place de la Republique, while other meetings are planned in major cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, and Lille.

Public sector workers will also take part in the strikes as the CGT UFSE, the largest union in the public sector, has filed a strike notice for Thursday.

The strike movement could also spread to the health sector, as the CGT federation's strike notice called for "the health and social services, the medico-social facilities of the public hospital service," as well as private health facilities.