How does driving a TGV constitute hard work. The Cheminot no longer shovels coal he has 8 weeks holiday and sits in the most modern train cabin around!

My wife is French, I have lived in Paris a large part of my life. I have also just spent 2 years in India and now live in the USA.

The French system needs to change. You can no longer expect something for nothing. Those who support theses unions try coming to work here and see what gets taken off your salary in social charges. I would like to hear you then. You will then gradually meet all those people that abuse the system and soon get to realise it can't continue

It is a joke. I can't be sustained. Come on Sarkosy

And come on the French, I know the majority support the President.

Alister, Paris,

Bon jour. I am quite with you here, Marc of Barthelemy about the English speaking peoples -- the Brits and Yanks in particular? -- whose assumptions about their cultural/linguistic superiority, in their estimation, preclude the need to learn any other language besides their own. But from my observation of the expat staff based here at the French hypermarket chain, Carrefour, they too, seem to me to be tongue-tied when it comes to speaking even a word of the local language. They give the impression that they regard it as a lingo of the 'sans culottes' -- so why bother to learn it. The world indeed, would be a better place if everyone made an effort to learn each other's (even a word or two) language.
Viva Babel!

SD Goh, PJ, Malaysia

Victor, you may well be right that there are some who deserve early retirement more than others, but the fact is that France simply cannot afford to support this system any longer. It costs far too much, and as the balance tips so that there are more people who are retired rather than working this will only get worse. France's labour laws in general need radical changes, so that young people can get jobs, new businesses can start up and the country can move forward. The key is flexibility.

Carole, Paris,

This strike is about making those on special regimes work until the same retirement age as those in easy, indoor jobs such as Bankers, white collar workers, Presidents, Kings and Queens. Statistically the man who works the graveyard shift, doing maintenance on trains in all weathers, the Fireman, the Policeman walking the beat in Soho until sunrise all die before retirement age, or just about that time. The Banker Boys and the others work far less than these special regime, early retirement people in France. They work in excellent conditions, receive excellent pay, and often live to be 90, costing the nations Billions more than those upon whose shoulders they stand, that social injustice has already sent to the bone yard!
Shame on the Kings, the Queens, the Presidents, the Politicians, and the Professions who refuse others a few years of retirement payments, so that they may live those years instead. That is what the strike in France is about.

Victor Compton, Cherbourg, France

The French have to face the reality of globalisation. It has been put off for too long and will be a painful adjustment. The current state of affairs can't continue indefinately in France, and Sarkozy knows this. The time has finally come when militant unions must be defeated.

Martyn, London, England

The French a wonderful people. Parisiennes are wonderful people. I am English and I have a home in Paris. My family and ffriends love to visit because the Parisiennes are polite and friendly. This rumour about the Parisienne being unfriendly is probably fostered by the British who cannot even say, "Good-day" when entering a shop.

Mr Tim, you do not know what you are talking about. The French may be even nicer to Americans if Americans would make a small attempt at learning another language. This is not just my opinion, it is, also, the opinion of my wife, who is........ American.

Marc, St. Barthelemy,

The french working class are flexing their muscles. And about time. What a marvelous inspiration for all workers around the world who are facing the same neo-liberal ( Thatcherite monetarist) policies as what Sarkosy is trying to implement.
The trade union leaders in britain need to take a leaf out the more militant french trade unions books. Gordon Brown is carrying out the same policies as Sarkosy. They are birds of a feather.The kind of coordinated generalised strike action is the only language these neo-libereals like sarkosy and brown understand.
There is a real prospect of a new 1968 or 1936 situation inherrent in the situation facing France at the moment. Already the youth in the universities and schools are linking up with the industrial workers. Sarkosy may have to eat his words if he iw not to face another 'Degaulle' situation when Degaulle hadv to flee to Germany because he could not control the situation in France. All power to the French working class. Bring down the Go

Brian Lewis, Mountain Ash, UK

I can understand the older generation striking to protect their over generous pensions, but the students striking?

These students are striking to defend antiquated over generous social benefits that do not reflect the much improved working conditions of the 21st century.

If this is the future generation of France, God help them.

V Tan, London,

Strikers are nice fellows ,anyway , as Eurostar is O.K. Vive l'amitié franco-britannique !

Georget, Saint-Ouen, France

The French are very nice people...Then you have the Parisian/Parisienne....Even the French stay away from them ,like a bad rouge wine....

Mr tim, san marcos, US of A///Ca