Public transport services in France will be disrupted for a second day running after two hard-line unions voted to continue striking over a planned reform of their pensions. Only about half of Paris metro trains are now operating. This report from Emma Jane Kirby:

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Two out of eight trade unions called to extend the strike but the larger unions have opposed continuing the stoppage. The rail company SNCF said it could guarantee that services would be halfway back to normal by Friday evening.

The protest by public transport and energy workers is in response to government plans to overhaul their generous retirement privileges, which currently allow employees like train drivers to retire at fifty on full pensions.

Emma Jane Kirby, BBC News, Paris

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commuters
people who travel from home to work and back, repeating the same journey every day

to face severe disruption
here, to experience serious problems travelling around town

to extend
to prolong, to make (the strike) longer

stoppage
here, strike

halfway back to normal
operating half of the usual number of trains

in response to
a reaction to

to overhaul
to revise and significantly change

retirement privileges
conditions of their pensions (e.g. at what age they are allowed to stop working, how much money they will receive as pension etc.)

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