(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) France's rail operator SNCF and trade union spokesmen announced Saturday that the highly-disruptive national rail strike will enter a fifth day tomorrow despite the calls by Prime Minister Manuel Valls for dialogue.
The strike which started on Wednesday reduced by 30-50 percent the rail service on most intercity lines including Paris with the local, regional and suburban services being the worst hit.
President Francois Hollande intervened for the first time yesterday by calling the organizers of the strike to suspend it in order to create suitable conditions for dialogue.
Several rounds of talks between the SNCF and union, on one hand, and representatives of the Ministry of Transport, on the other, failed to culminate in a deal on cost reductions and restructuring of the sector.
The trade unions reject the proposed cuts and reforms for fear of losing job status and financial benefits.
The SNCF's debts have hit USD 50 billion and this figure is expected to rise sharply if cost reductions are not imposed, official data show.
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