PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Two French rail unions, including the biggest, on Saturday announced a new nationwide 24-hour strike next week to push for more concessions in talks over pension reform.
A spokesman for the General Labour Confederation (CGT), the largest union representing workers at the French state rail company SNCF, said the grass-roots momentum for a new strike could not be resisted.
The strike from 1900 GMT Wednesday to 1900 GMT Thursday will follow on from a similar 24-hour walkout called by the CGT on the Paris transport system of metro trains, buses and trams known as the RATP, the spokesman said.
The SNCF earlier this week voiced incredulity at the strike threat, saying it was 'incomprehensible' and 'senseless' as talks were taking place in a 'constructive and serious atmosphere.
The strike call was issued by the CGT and the smaller CFE-CGC white-collar staff union.
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