Strike for pension security paralyses French cities

Buses ceased running in Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Nantes and Strasbourg, while Paris was deprived of its commuter rail service by unions demanding a continuation of pension payments that would enable their workers to retire at the age of 60. Metro systems in several of the cities have also been shut down. In addition, Air France reported that most of its short and middle-distance domestic flights originating in the French capital had to be annulled Thursday morning. Following fruitless negotiations in December, the employers' organisation Medef threatened to halt payments into a pension fund because of the increased number of pensioners coming out of the so-called baby boom generation. The threatened cuts would decrease pension payments for those who retire before the age of 65.

(la/dpa)