French energy workers continue to strike

French energy workers are still on strike on Wednesday in a bid to curb the privatizing plan of theirstate-owned company and cut power to many famous buildings in Paris, according to the Trade Union.

Some famous sites, like the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Elysees and the presidential palace of Elysee, the US and British embassies and several French ministries had their power cut for around 15 minutes on Wednesday afternoon, said one source of the Trade Union CGT.

Energy workers from two French giant energy companies Electricity of France (EDF) and Gas of France (GDF) held fierce strikes to protest the government's plan to privatize the two state-owned companies.

More than 2,000 workers from the EDF and GDF marched in Paris onTuesday and cut power to politicians' homes, shopping centers and to factories to exert pressure to the French parliament against the privatizing plan.

They asked French President Jacques Chirac to stop the reformsaimed at opening the French power and gas sectors to competition in line with EU rules.

Some French companies such as Michelin, Peugeot, Philips and Nestle, and 10,000 homes in southwestern France were also left without power on Tuesday.

EDF workers cut electricity last week on main railway lines around Paris and caused the delay or cancellation of 250 trains.

The French parliament opened a debate on Tuesday on a reform plan that would do great changes to the EDF and GDF, notably by opening them up to private investment.

The major reform plans include the transformation of the EDF and GDF into corporations by opening their capital, but retaining 70 percent of the state stake; workers retaining their current jobstatus and retirement benefits scheme; allowing the EDF to sell gas to its clients and the GDF to enter electricity market, and soon.

Last year, the EDF had about 167,000 employees and 45 billion euros of revenues, supplying 22 percent of the electricity produced in the European Union.

Also last year, the GDF had about 38,000 employees and 17 billion euros of revenues, providing services to 14 million clients in Europe, South America and India.

Source: Xinhua