As Olympic officials descended on Paris on March 10 to inspect the city's potential as a games host, a general strike shut much of the country, including subways, airports, schools, bus networks, radio stations and post offices, across 55 cities and towns. Organisers said around 1 million workers joined protests in cities, with many more striking. The unions are fighting attacks on the 35-hour work week, and cuts to public services and pensions. Just two days earlier, 200,000 students had protested cuts to university funding across the country.
From Green Left Weekly, March 16, 2005.
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