France's transport workers have gone on strike today over plans to scrap their pension privileges.
In the first major challenge to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, unions called the 24-hour strike from late yesterday in an attempt to force concessions from the government, which plans to scrap privileges that allow a minority of public sector workers to retire earlier than their peers.
The SNCF state rail network said only a fraction of trains would run, while bus and tram services faced disruption in 27 major cities over the pensions row and a law forcing transport staff to provide a minimum service during strikes from January.
Gas and power utility staff, who would also be subject to the new pension rules, were due to walk off the job, although cuts in supplies were not expected.
Airlines could also be affected if air traffic controllers were unable to get to work, the authorities said, although most cross-Channel Eurostar trains were due to run as usual.
The government wants to put employees paying into the so-called "special regime" pension schemes on an equal footing with civil servants and private sector workers, increasing their contribution period from 37.5 years to 40 years.
The special funds were introduced after World War Two, mainly for workers in physically demanding jobs, but they are running deficits that will cost the taxpayer an estimated €5 billion this year.
Mr Sarkozy vowed to phase out the special regimes during his election campaign this year.