A New French Strike...

For some more details on the rail strike in France today, read the Herald Tribune here. The French media see it mostly as a big test for the unions who have been losing a few fights lately (including a strike in the public transport in Marseille). The unions also seem to be losing the support of the public opinion as people have become less sympathetic to their actions in the current gloomy economic situation and in this post-social unrest era.

UPDATE on Tuesday night: well if the strike was a test, it has failed. Only 22,8 % of the rail workers were on strike according to the managemet and no more than 31 % according to the unions themselves. It was said that anything under 40% would be seen as a failure. That may be why the media are becoming more critical of the strike this time.