SNCF protests hit by train cancellations

Regional members of France's rail unions who walked out on strike last Thursday were upset that they could not join demonstrations in the capital - because trains had been cancelled due to the strike.

Le Bien Public reported that some of the 400 demonstrators outside the city's main SNCF offices in Dijon regretted that they were unable to go to Paris due to the lack of rail services caused by the strike.

They said that rail management had been "over zealous" in cancelling all trains.

SNCF said that across just 50% of TER trains, 75% of Intercités and 60% of TGVs ran on Thursday, as staff walked out for the first of several protests against planned reforms to workers' contracts.

From April, 36 days of strikes are scheduled, with staff walking out for two days out of five for three months, despite widespread public support for the reform of the railways.