Will strikes trouble Sarkozy?

Inside Story asks if Sarkozy’s election promise to reform pension systems is in trouble [AFP]

As strikes, that have crippled transportation networks throughout France, entered their second week the government and the unions announced they are to hold talks aimed at ending the action.

Thousands of employees in other sectors have now joined the transport workers strike, adding their own demands to the walk-out that began over planned changes to the pension sytem by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president.

But unlike previous general strikes the French public is seemingly frustrated by the effect these strikes are having on their daily lives as reduced train and metro services leave many Parisians facing commute times stretching into hours.

The newspaper Le Figaro published a poll showing 68 per cent of the French people believe the strike is not justified and 69 per cent saying the government should not give way to the strikers’ demands.

Is Sarkozy’s election promise to reform pension systems in France in trouble? Or will French unions face problems in obtaining their demands? And what role do EU regulations play in the dispute? 

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