Lower turnout against Sarkozy pension plan

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators turned out in force on the streets of France on Thursday to protest yet again against the pending Sarkozy pensions plan, but numbers were far lower than previous strike days, both sides said.The government said that the turnout was half the people of previous strike days.

Stephane Mahe/Reuters

"What's impressive is that this is doubtless the first time that the day after a law is voted we have such large demonstrations," said CGT union head Bernard Thibault, while acknowledging that protesters were being worn down.

"It's difficult to see colleagues abandon us, to see them throw in the towel," oil industry worker Laurent Montels said at a Paris rally today while others shouted around him "We don't want to die at work."

Protests included someone cutting the power at the finance industry for an hour at the beginning of the working day in what officials described as "an appent act of ill will."

Unions have vowed one more day of strike action against the new pension plan on 6 November.

The French parliament has already approved the pension plan and Sarkozy's aides say he will sign it into law around 15 November.