TIMESONLINE: President Sarkozy faces his “Thatcher moment” this week as transport workers open a barrage of public sector strikes aimed at breaking his drive to purge France of its old economic ills.
The hardline unions and Mr Sarkozy see the strikes – that start with the rail network tomorrow evening – as a decisive test of his presidency, an inevitable showdown between a radical new leader and left-wing conservative forces.
Mainstream union leaders say that Mr Sarkozy has forced the fight on to ground that they wanted to avoid – the retirement privileges of certain workers. “The Government wants this conflict to set an example,” Bernard Thibault, leader of the Conféderation Générale du Travail, the biggest union federation, said yesterday.
Rail workers, who paralysed the country for a day last month, start an open-ended strike against Mr Sarkozy’s plans to bring their retirement terms into line with those of the civil service. The Paris underground and bus system, as well as national gas and electricity workers, join them on Wednesday. Next Tuesday, teachers, post office workers and the rest of the Civil Service will strike for one day, and possibly longer, for higher pay and against Mr Sarkozy’s plans to slim down ministries. Nicolas Sarkozy set for showdown as unions prepare wave of strikes (more) By Charles Bremner
Mark Alexander
