A national railway worker strike has been called jointly by France's unions Sud Rail, CGT, and CFDT. The unions on Friday demanded that their wages to be increased amid rising inflation reported Reuters.

In a joint statement, the unions claimed that "along with workers in France and in Europe, railway workers are sharply hit by exploding inflation; we must act to obtain wage increases."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-is-facing-a-new-covid-19-wave-french-vaccination-chief-490700">France is facing a new COVID-19 wave, says vaccination chief</a>

With the rising cost of living, several other workers from sectors like oil to airports, air transport, and trucking are calling for pay rises and strikes.&nbsp;

The railway workers in France are joining these workers in a bid to fulfil their demands.

Watch |&nbsp;France: Emmanuel Macron under pressure to secure alliance

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After French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party lost control of parliament in last Sunday's election, the social unrest is an added pressure upon him and his government under an existing political crisis.

So far, Macron's opposition has declined offers for any form of coalition or pact with his party.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-macron-handed-hung-parliament-france-risks-gridlock-490074">After Macron handed hung parliament, France risks gridlock</a>

On Friday, French oil refinery workers from TotalEnergies are also going on a strike.&nbsp;

TotalEnergies has claimed that they have taken steps to ensure that their network of petrol stations and its clients are sufficiently supplied throughout the weekend.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A national railway worker strike has been called jointly by France's unions Sud Rail, CGT, and CFDT. The unions on Friday demanded that their wages to be increased amid rising inflation reported Reuters.

A national railway worker strike has been called jointly by France's unions Sud Rail, CGT, and CFDT. The unions on Friday demanded that their wages to be increased amid rising inflation reported Reuters. In a joint statement, the unions claimed that "along with workers in France and in Europe, railway workers are sharply hit by exploding inflation; we must act to obtain wage increases." Also read | France is facing a new COVID-19 wave, says vaccination chief With the rising cost of living, several other workers from sectors like oil to airports, air transport, and trucking are calling for pay rises and strikes. The railway workers in France are joining these workers in a bid to fulfil their demands. Watch | France: Emmanuel Macron under pressure to secure alliance After French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party lost control of parliament in last Sunday's election, the social unrest is an added pressure upon him and his government under an existing political crisis. So far, Macron's opposition has declined offers for any form of coalition or pact with his party. Also read | After Macron handed hung parliament, France risks gridlock On Friday, French oil refinery workers from TotalEnergies are also going on a strike. TotalEnergies has claimed that they have taken steps to ensure that their network of petrol stations and its clients are sufficiently supplied throughout the weekend. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Trouble for Macron: French unions call for national rail strikes on July 6

French Prime Minister on Saturday said that he was "willing to withdraw" the most contested measure in the government's retirement reform: to make people work two years longer until 64 to qualify for a full pension.

French Prime Minister on Saturday said that he was "willing to withdraw" the most contested measure in the government's retirement reform: to make people work two years longer until 64 to qualify for a full pension. "To demonstrate my confidence in social partners... I am willing to withdraw from the bill the short-term measure I had proposed" to set a so-called "pivot age" of 64 with effect from 2027, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe wrote in a letter to union leaders a day after they met seeking to end a crippling transport strike now in its 38th day. French unions have been demanding the government drop its reform in their biggest show of strength in decades. The reform bill - which parliament is due to debate from mid-February - proposes to progressively raise the age at which workers can retire on a full pension to 64 "for the 1965 generation who will retire from 2027".

French govt says 'willing' to withdraw contested pension reform proposal

A production shutdown started on Sunday at PetroIneos' 210,000-barrels-per-day <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-steadies-after-saudi-pledges-to-restore-output-lost-in-attacks-250369">Lavera</a> oil refinery in southern France after CGT union workers voted to stop output as part of protests over pension reform, a union official said.

Emmanuel Lepine, secretary-general of the CGT's oil branch, told sources on Sunday evening that CGT union workers at other refineries in France will vote on Monday whether to halt production at their plants.

The CGT's oil branch had warned on Friday it could step up strike action by stopping production, depending on the outcome of worker votes.

"We gave an ultimatum to the government, it didn't listen, so we're doing exactly what we promised," Lepine said.

"What we are demanding is the withdrawal of the reform."

The hardline <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-cgt-union-threatens-more-protests-over-pensions-plan-268467">CGT union</a> has been at the forefront of a two-week-old industrial action against a planned government reform of France's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-strikes-government-stays-firm-on-pension-reforms-as-mass-protests-to-continue-268724">pension system</a>.

The protests against the reform plan, which would scrap special regimes for sectors like the railways and make people work to 64 to draw a full pension, have crippled train services in the run-up to the Christmas holiday season.

Protests in the oil sector have already disrupted supplies of refined products to petrol stations in some parts of France but production has so far continued at refineries.

CGT workers at three refineries run by Total - Grand Puits, La Mede and Feyzin - would vote on Monday on whether to halt output there, Lepine said.

A production shutdown started on Sunday at PetroIneos' 210,000-barrels-per-day Lavera oil refinery in southern France after CGT union workers voted to stop output as part of protests over pension reform, a union official said.

A production shutdown started on Sunday at PetroIneos' 210,000-barrels-per-day Lavera oil refinery in southern France after CGT union workers voted to stop output as part of protests over pension reform, a union official said. Emmanuel Lepine, secretary-general of the CGT's oil branch, told sources on Sunday evening that CGT union workers at other refineries in France will vote on Monday whether to halt production at their plants. The CGT's oil branch had warned on Friday it could step up strike action by stopping production, depending on the outcome of worker votes. "We gave an ultimatum to the government, it didn't listen, so we're doing exactly what we promised," Lepine said. "What we are demanding is the withdrawal of the reform." The hardline CGT union has been at the forefront of a two-week-old industrial action against a planned government reform of France's pension system. The protests against the reform plan, which would scrap special regimes for sectors like the railways and make people work to 64 to draw a full pension, have crippled train services in the run-up to the Christmas holiday season. Protests in the oil sector have already disrupted supplies of refined products to petrol stations in some parts of France but production has so far continued at refineries. CGT workers at three refineries run by Total - Grand Puits, La Mede and Feyzin - would vote on Monday on whether to halt output there, Lepine said.

French workers vote to halt output at Lavera refinery over pension reform

French&nbsp;trade&nbsp;unions&nbsp;failed on Tuesday to achieve the big surge in support they had hoped for in street&nbsp;protests&nbsp;to pressure President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-emmanuel-macron-to-hold-meeting-on-pensions-as-strike-bites-266909">Emmanuel Macron</a> to ditch his pension reform, and said there would be no strike&nbsp;truce&nbsp;during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-can-celebrate-later-hong-kongers-pen-christmas-cards-to-protesters-268663">Christmas</a>.

France's transport networks were crippled and schools shut on a thirteenth day of strikes, but there was not the pick-up in faltering momentum that union chiefs had hoped for in nationwide&nbsp;protests, even as private-sector workers joined in.

In Paris, police fired tear gas and charged to disperse demonstrators from the Place de la Nation, though there was none of the rioting and looting that marked the "yellow vest"&nbsp;protests&nbsp;against high living costs late last year.

The hard-left&nbsp;unions&nbsp;spearheading the industrial action said in a joint statement that Tuesday's marches across France reflected a "massive rejection" of Macron's planned pension system overhaul and called for the reform to be abandoned.

"If it is not pulled, there will be no&nbsp;truce," the&nbsp;unions&nbsp;said.

France's largest union, the reform-minded CFDT which is influential in the private sector, joined the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;for the first time on Tuesday although it did not sign the statement.

About 615,000 people nationwide answered the union leaders' call to march on Tuesday, the interior ministry said, a significant decline since the first big day of action on Dec. 5 which had brought 806,000 onto the street, though numbers were higher in Paris.

The hardline CGT union said it had counted 1.8 million protesters nationwide, more than it had reported on December&nbsp;5. Union and government tallies at&nbsp;French&nbsp;demonstrations usually show major discrepancies.

French&nbsp;unions&nbsp;oppose Macron's plans to streamline the Byzantine state pension system and prod people to work until 64, instead of the legal retirement age of 62.

In the capital, some protesters dressed in black and hiding their faces with scarves and masks, overturned bins, smashed bus stops and hurled glass bottles at police lines. Police said the clashes involved "black block" anarchists, a small minority of the otherwise peaceful protesters.

Police also charged protesters in Paris who ignored an order to disperse at the end of the route and threw at least one Molotov cocktail at police.

"We want social justice," said Veronique Ragot, 55, a striking sub-editor at a publishing house. "We've seen our social benefits melt in the sun, and this is the last straw."

The strike forced most long-distance trains, commuter trains and Paris metro lines to shut. Even the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sun-and-wind-powers-mini-eiffel-tower-at-belgian-music-festival-243602">Eiffel Tower</a> was closed. Many state schools were shut or had reduced lessons. The CGT said it was responsible for power outages and cuts to gas supply that hit thousands of homes as well as businesses.

The&nbsp;unions&nbsp;and Macron are each hoping to push the other to back down before&nbsp;Christmas, with the prospect that strikes over the holiday would alienate an increasingly frustrated public.

"Democratic and union opposition to our project is perfectly legitimate. But we have stated clearly what our project was, and my government is totally determined to reform the&nbsp;pensions&nbsp;system and to balance the pension system's budget," Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-macron-reappoints-edouard-philippe-as-pm-after-sundays-vote-17027">Edouard Philippe</a> told parliament.

Opponents were buoyed by the departure of government pension reform tsar Jean-Paul Delevoye, who quit on Monday over his failure to declare other jobs.

French&nbsp;workers receive among the world's most generous state&nbsp;pensions&nbsp;through a system divided into dozens of separate schemes. Macron's government says privileges for various categories of workers make it unfair, and wants a "points" system to treat contributions from all workers equally.&nbsp;Unions&nbsp;say this amounts to an attack on hard-earned benefits.

"When all the&nbsp;unions&nbsp;say 'We do not want this reform', the government should have a rethink," said Philippe Martinez, head of France's CGT union, leading a column of demonstrators in Paris's Republic Square. "They need to open their eyes and unblock their ears."

French trade unions failed on Tuesday to achieve the big surge in support they had hoped for in street protests to pressure President Emmanuel Macron to ditch his pension reform, and said there would be no strike truce during Christmas.

French trade unions failed on Tuesday to achieve the big surge in support they had hoped for in street protests to pressure President Emmanuel Macron to ditch his pension reform, and said there would be no strike truce during Christmas. France's transport networks were crippled and schools shut on a thirteenth day of strikes, but there was not the pick-up in faltering momentum that union chiefs had hoped for in nationwide protests, even as private-sector workers joined in. In Paris, police fired tear gas and charged to disperse demonstrators from the Place de la Nation, though there was none of the rioting and looting that marked the "yellow vest" protests against high living costs late last year. The hard-left unions spearheading the industrial action said in a joint statement that Tuesday's marches across France reflected a "massive rejection" of Macron's planned pension system overhaul and called for the reform to be abandoned. "If it is not pulled, there will be no truce," the unions said. France's largest union, the reform-minded CFDT which is influential in the private sector, joined the protests for the first time on Tuesday although it did not sign the statement. About 615,000 people nationwide answered the union leaders' call to march on Tuesday, the interior ministry said, a significant decline since the first big day of action on Dec. 5 which had brought 806,000 onto the street, though numbers were higher in Paris. The hardline CGT union said it had counted 1.8 million protesters nationwide, more than it had reported on December 5. Union and government tallies at French demonstrations usually show major discrepancies. French unions oppose Macron's plans to streamline the Byzantine state pension system and prod people to work until 64, instead of the legal retirement age of 62. In the capital, some protesters dressed in black and hiding their faces with scarves and masks, overturned bins, smashed bus stops and hurled glass bottles at police lines. Police said the clashes involved "black block" anarchists, a small minority of the otherwise peaceful protesters. Police also charged protesters in Paris who ignored an order to disperse at the end of the route and threw at least one Molotov cocktail at police. "We want social justice," said Veronique Ragot, 55, a striking sub-editor at a publishing house. "We've seen our social benefits melt in the sun, and this is the last straw." The strike forced most long-distance trains, commuter trains and Paris metro lines to shut. Even the Eiffel Tower was closed. Many state schools were shut or had reduced lessons. The CGT said it was responsible for power outages and cuts to gas supply that hit thousands of homes as well as businesses. The unions and Macron are each hoping to push the other to back down before Christmas, with the prospect that strikes over the holiday would alienate an increasingly frustrated public. "Democratic and union opposition to our project is perfectly legitimate. But we have stated clearly what our project was, and my government is totally determined to reform the pensions system and to balance the pension system's budget," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament. Opponents were buoyed by the departure of government pension reform tsar Jean-Paul Delevoye, who quit on Monday over his failure to declare other jobs. French workers receive among the world's most generous state pensions through a system divided into dozens of separate schemes. Macron's government says privileges for various categories of workers make it unfair, and wants a "points" system to treat contributions from all workers equally. Unions say this amounts to an attack on hard-earned benefits. "When all the unions say 'We do not want this reform', the government should have a rethink," said Philippe Martinez, head of France's CGT union, leading a column of demonstrators in Paris's Republic Square. "They need to open their eyes and unblock their ears."

French unions refuse Christmas truce in pensions protests

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Trouble for Macron: French unions call for national rail strikes on July 6

French govt says 'willing' to withdraw contested pension reform proposal

French workers vote to halt output at Lavera refinery over pension reform

French unions refuse Christmas truce in pensions protests