French officials met Friday to set out their strategy ahead of fresh talks with unions furious over planned pension overhauls, with labour leaders warning of new strike actions alongside a gruelling transport strike now in its 30th day.

"The government is at work to try to find a way toward a rapid compromise," spokeswoman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-strikes-government-stays-firm-on-pension-reforms-as-mass-protests-to-continue-268724">Sibeth Ndiaye</a> told France 2 television as Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-pension-reforms-protests-police-fire-tear-gas-at-protesters-in-france-271732">Edouard Philippe</a> gathered ministers for the unscheduled meeting.

Unions have roundly rejected plans to scrap France's 42 separate pension regimes for a single points-based system, which they say could require millions of people to work beyond the official retirement age of 62.

President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/protest-songs-paris-opera-musicians-chime-in-with-strike-concert-271409">Emmanuel Macron</a> made the reform a key plank of his election campaign, saying it would be more transparent and fairer, in particular to low earners and women.

Yet the government has already announced a series of concessions to certain sectors, such as police officers and military personnel, pilots and rail employees.

Many other public-sector workers are demanding similar exceptions to the new rules, which would set a "pivot age" of 64 which people would have to work until to receive a full pension.

The hard-line <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-continues-to-be-on-the-boil-over-proposed-pension-reforms-270795">CGT union</a> has called for a four-day blockade of the country's fuel refineries and depots starting Tuesday when talks between unions and the government are to resume.

Two unions representing pilots and cabin crew at Air France have called a strike for next week, as having lawyers, physiotherapists and other self-employed workers who have separate and more advantageous pension schemes.

Macron insisted during his traditional New Year's Eve address that he would push ahead with the reform, which will be presented to his cabinet on January 22 ahead of parliamentary debate.

He said the new system is needed because most people are starting their careers later, and are living longer.

But he promised that people with particularly arduous jobs would still be allowed to retire early, the main sticking point in the talks with unions, along with the new "pivot age" of 64 to qualify for a full pension.

Macron is also hoping to win the battle of public opinion, betting that support for the strike will waver the longer the disruptions persist.

Unions have already called for another day of mass demonstration next Thursday, when teachers, hospital workers and others are expected to join the strike.

Although the number of strikers at train operator SNCF and the Paris transport company <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strike-makes-for-not-so-merry-christmas-travel-in-france-269597">RATP</a> has fallen since the protest began on December 5, travellers continue to suffer from extensive service disruptions.

Most Paris metro lines were operating only at rush hours or with just a few trains every hour, and a third of the country's high-speed TGV trains were cancelled on Friday.

It has become the longest continuous train strike in French history, as well as the longest by Paris Opera dancers and other employees, who also have a separate pension system that allows them to retire early.

So far 63 performances at the Opera's historic Garnier and modern Bastille stages have been cancelled during the strike, costing the company more than 12 million euros ($13.4 million) in lost ticket sales.

French officials met Friday to set out their strategy ahead of fresh talks with unions furious over planned pension overhauls, with labour leaders warning of new strike actions alongside a gruelling transport strike now in its 30th day.

French officials met Friday to set out their strategy ahead of fresh talks with unions furious over planned pension overhauls, with labour leaders warning of new strike actions alongside a gruelling transport strike now in its 30th day. "The government is at work to try to find a way toward a rapid compromise," spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye told France 2 television as Prime Minister Edouard Philippe gathered ministers for the unscheduled meeting. Unions have roundly rejected plans to scrap France's 42 separate pension regimes for a single points-based system, which they say could require millions of people to work beyond the official retirement age of 62. President Emmanuel Macron made the reform a key plank of his election campaign, saying it would be more transparent and fairer, in particular to low earners and women. Yet the government has already announced a series of concessions to certain sectors, such as police officers and military personnel, pilots and rail employees. Many other public-sector workers are demanding similar exceptions to the new rules, which would set a "pivot age" of 64 which people would have to work until to receive a full pension. The hard-line CGT union has called for a four-day blockade of the country's fuel refineries and depots starting Tuesday when talks between unions and the government are to resume. Two unions representing pilots and cabin crew at Air France have called a strike for next week, as having lawyers, physiotherapists and other self-employed workers who have separate and more advantageous pension schemes. Macron insisted during his traditional New Year's Eve address that he would push ahead with the reform, which will be presented to his cabinet on January 22 ahead of parliamentary debate. He said the new system is needed because most people are starting their careers later, and are living longer. But he promised that people with particularly arduous jobs would still be allowed to retire early, the main sticking point in the talks with unions, along with the new "pivot age" of 64 to qualify for a full pension. Macron is also hoping to win the battle of public opinion, betting that support for the strike will waver the longer the disruptions persist. Unions have already called for another day of mass demonstration next Thursday, when teachers, hospital workers and others are expected to join the strike. Although the number of strikers at train operator SNCF and the Paris transport company RATP has fallen since the protest began on December 5, travellers continue to suffer from extensive service disruptions. Most Paris metro lines were operating only at rush hours or with just a few trains every hour, and a third of the country's high-speed TGV trains were cancelled on Friday. It has become the longest continuous train strike in French history, as well as the longest by Paris Opera dancers and other employees, who also have a separate pension system that allows them to retire early. So far 63 performances at the Opera's historic Garnier and modern Bastille stages have been cancelled during the strike, costing the company more than 12 million euros ($13.4 million) in lost ticket sales.

French government huddles as labour leaders vow to harden strike

France&#39;s government, scrambling to end a wave of protests that could disrupt the Euro 2016 soccer championship, called today for an end to the national rail strike and told Air France pilots their plans to stop work were &quot;irresponsible&quot;. 
 
The calls came as an open-ended stoppage at the railways entered its third day, reducing train services by about half, a week before the June 10 opening of the soccer tournament which should draw some 2.5 million fans, many of them from abroad. 
 
Transport minister Alain Vidalies said the government had satisfied union demands to protect rest periods for rail workers and help with the 50 billion euro ($55.76 billion) debt of the Soci?t? nationale des chemins de fer fran?ais rail company(SNCF), saying the militant Conf?d?ration g?n?rale du travail (CGT) union should call off its action. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s time to acknowledge the progress that&#39;s been made and to get back to work,&quot; the minister told RTL radio. 
 
The Socialist government has intervened in internal talks on reorganisation of the SNCF to try to defuse tensions, and made concessions to avert an air traffic controllers&#39; strike. But it now faces a walkout by pilots at flag carrier Air France next week. 
 
&quot;This is irresponsible,&quot; the minister said, adding that nobody would understand why a stoppage over planned pay curbs was timed to start one day into the month-long soccer event. 
 
Two unions representing the bulk of Air France pilots have given notice of a strike from June 11 to 14 and said they may schedule further stoppages. 
 
The militant CGT union is spearheading strikes at the state rail company and at refinieries and nuclear power stations in a bid to force the government to withdraw a contested reform of labour laws that would make hiring and firing easier. 
 
The core protest has coincided with sectoral issues such as difficult reorganisation negotiations to prepare the SNCF for Europe-wide liberalisation of train traffic in 2020 and, at Air France, efforts to reduce costs. 
 
Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said the CGT union, one of the two large unions in France, was waging an increasingly lonely war now that most other unions had dropped their grievances. 
 
&quot;If we gave into the CGT, a union which is in the minority even if I respect its history and struggle, it would no longer be possible to reform France,&quot; he told l&#39;Est Republicain.

The transport strike is taking place in a bid to force the French government to withdraw labour reform bill which will grant companies power to hire and fire workers and extend working hours.

France's government, scrambling to end a wave of protests that could disrupt the Euro 2016 soccer championship, called today for an end to the national rail strike and told Air France pilots their plans to stop work were "irresponsible". The calls came as an open-ended stoppage at the railways entered its third day, reducing train services by about half, a week before the June 10 opening of the soccer tournament which should draw some 2.5 million fans, many of them from abroad. Transport minister Alain Vidalies said the government had satisfied union demands to protect rest periods for rail workers and help with the 50 billion euro ($55.76 billion) debt of the Soci?t? nationale des chemins de fer fran?ais rail company(SNCF), saying the militant Conf?d?ration g?n?rale du travail (CGT) union should call off its action. "It's time to acknowledge the progress that's been made and to get back to work," the minister told RTL radio. The Socialist government has intervened in internal talks on reorganisation of the SNCF to try to defuse tensions, and made concessions to avert an air traffic controllers' strike. But it now faces a walkout by pilots at flag carrier Air France next week. "This is irresponsible," the minister said, adding that nobody would understand why a stoppage over planned pay curbs was timed to start one day into the month-long soccer event. Two unions representing the bulk of Air France pilots have given notice of a strike from June 11 to 14 and said they may schedule further stoppages. The militant CGT union is spearheading strikes at the state rail company and at refinieries and nuclear power stations in a bid to force the government to withdraw a contested reform of labour laws that would make hiring and firing easier. The core protest has coincided with sectoral issues such as difficult reorganisation negotiations to prepare the SNCF for Europe-wide liberalisation of train traffic in 2020 and, at Air France, efforts to reduce costs. Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said the CGT union, one of the two large unions in France, was waging an increasingly lonely war now that most other unions had dropped their grievances. "If we gave into the CGT, a union which is in the minority even if I respect its history and struggle, it would no longer be possible to reform France," he told l'Est Republicain.

French government urges end to strikes a week from Euro soccer

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French government huddles as labour leaders vow to harden strike

French government urges end to strikes a week from Euro soccer