October 2, 2007 (LPAC)--Six of the eight major unions of France's railroad workers (CGT, CFDT, Sud, FO, CFTC and CGC railroad) confirmed yesterday that they will strike on October 18 against the government's pension "reforms." The strike also opposes the planned "restructuring" of rail freight, implying the shut-down of some 400 allegedly "unprofitable" stations.

In the energy sector, the CGT, the dominant union at EDF (electricity) and GDF (natural gas), has already decided to support the strike. The unions of the Paris metro will shortly decide whether they will do the same. A union official said that if things did not change, "the response will be proportional to the brutality of the announced measures. In terms of strike, this will not be a simple one-day strike, but a long and tough one."

In Germany, the GDL, the union of the railway engineers (locomotive conductors), confirmed its commitment to begin walk-outs in passenger as well as freight transport, on Oct. 5. GDL chairman Manfred Schnell, in Berlin yesterday, detailed the unacceptable situation in the railway sector: drastic downsizing of the workforce, resulting in severe overtime work by remaining personnel, along with disinvestment and other problems. He blamed it on the fact that "there is not a single member of the railway executive board with a railway background; they believe driving a locomotive is just like pushing a small cart."

In both countries, the government has responded with a hardline posture on so-called "reforms." French President Nicolas Sarkozy has reiterated his intent to go ahead with his "streamlining" of public sector "special regime" pensions, and tried to play on guilt feelings, by pretending that his reforms would permit an increase for the poorest pensioners. German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee and Deutsche Bahn CEO Hartmut Mehdorn have denounced the railway strike, both reiterating their intent to move ahead with the privatization of Deutsche Bahn (at the expense of the personnel, and of passengers and freight clients).

Meanwhile, 100,000 were expected at massive demonstrations across Denmark today, demanding a stop to cutbacks in the public sector and a massive infusion of funds in order to secure the public welfare. Demonstrators include public sector unions as well as other trade unions, students and others. The earliest first-hand reports from Denmark's three largest cities, confirmed a massive turnout.