French rail workers staged a nationwide strike on Tuesday night, demanding fresh pay negotiations with management.

 

According to state-owned railway SNCF, two thirds of high speed TGV railway services between Paris and the regions will operate, while only a third of interregional trains are expected to run.

 

The strike also caused disruption to regional train services and the RER railway service between Paris and the suburbs on Wednesday.

 

The strike launched by six of the eight railway workers' unions began at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and will continue until 8 a.m. on Thursday.

 

The strikers are demanding investment in SNCF's ailing freight sector and pressure on management over salaries and jobs, unions say.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2006)