| "Riots are over. Let's go on strike!" |
There was no way to gague the impact of the walkout late Monday. About two in five high-speed TGV trains were expected to operate as normal, while 80 percent of international trains would run, the SNCF said.
Four unions representing train drivers called the walkout to protest restructuring, job cuts, pay and what they see as creeping privatization of the train operator. Government and rail officials insisted that the unions' privatization fears were unfounded.