Striking French transport and energy workers caused widespread disruption for the second time in a month today in a protest over pensions that is the biggest test yet of President Nicolas Sarkozy's reform drive.
Train services were disrupted and energy production capacity was reduced, but there were signs the stoppage might come to a swift end after unions and the government agreed a compromise over negotiating methods.
"The president thinks there is a chance for the spirit of responsibility to find a way out of the conflict," said presidential spokesman David Martinon.
Mr Sarkozy has broad public support for the reform which aims to bring generous pension provisions for about 500,000 public sector workers in line with those of all other workers ahead of a general pension reform next year.
The streets of Paris were heaving with mopeds, bikes, cars and pedestrians from before dawn as the capital tried to get to work without its usually efficient metro and bus system.
Only a handful of trains were scheduled to run today and Paris's transport system operated reduced services. But some lines were less affected than predicted and the SNCF rail operator said worker participation was at 61.5 per cent, down from 73.5 per cent on October 18th.
Mr Sarkozy has said repeatedly he will not back down on his plan to end the "special regimes" that were introduced last century to allow workers with arduous jobs to retire after 37.5 years of pension contributions compared to 40 years for others.
Most unions have also stood firm, promising open-ended strikes and raising the prospect that the disruption could drag into next week when civil servants are due to stage a 24-hour stoppage to protest at state sector job cuts.