Unions call one-day strike in France

PARIS, March 19 (UPI) -- French union leaders said they expect a good turnout Thursday for a one-day strike to express dismay with the government's handling of the economic crisis.

Labor unions called the protest to pressure the government to reverse its cuts to public service jobs and demand more assistance for companies, a move French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said was unlikely, Radio France Internationale reported.

Government officials said they expect the number of protesters to top more than 1 million workers, about the same number who participated in a one-day work stoppage in January. Demonstrations were planned in about 200 locales across France, the BBC said. Union officials said they expected more than 2 million people to participate.

Bus and train service was disrupted and numerous schools were closed. Several cancellations and delays were reported at Paris Orly Airport.

France hasn't been as badly hit by the global economic downturn as Britain, Ireland or Spain but unions want job protection guarantees and a higher minimum wage, reported The Guardian, a British newspaper.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he will address the crisis by focusing on public and private investment instead of tax cuts or higher welfare spending.