French Unions call a nationwide strike

French unions are calling for a nationwide 24-hour strike on 27 May 2010 to protest the government's planned pension reforms that would increase the retirement age. The work stoppage is likely to result in minor disruptions to rail services, close public offices and schools across the country and will be accompanied by street demonstrations. The French rail operator SNCF expects to operate most regional and long-distance services, though a third of trains between Paris and Nice and Paris and Nantes will be canceled. In Paris, the strike will result in the cancellation of half the trains on the RER B line, but other subway, bus, tram and suburban trains will operate normally. Transportation disruptions are also anticipated in Marseille, where buses will operate at 60 percent of normal capacity.