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French unions have announced another national strike to protest the government鈥檚 controversial pension reforms.

Workers are being urged to walk out on Thursday, April 6, in what will be the 11th official national day of action.

France鈥檚 transport network is expected to be affected, with delays and cancellations likely.

In a joint statement read out by Solidaires representatives Simon Duteil and Murielle Guilbert, the cross-union group called for 鈥渦nion demonstrations defined locally and a new major day of strikes and protests across the entire country鈥�.

The unions said the day had been called 鈥渁fter two months of an exemplary social movement, unprecedented for 50 years, [and] widely supported by the population鈥� in response to a 鈥渃haotic parliamentary process鈥�.

It added: 鈥淭he lack of response from the executive has led to a situation of tension in the country that worries us very much鈥�.

The statement added that by using article 49.3 鈥� which saw the reforms pass through parliament without MPs voting 鈥� the government has 鈥渃hosen to accentuate the democratic and social crisis鈥�.

It said that unions had warned of 鈥渁 social explosion鈥� from the beginning and called the reform 鈥渦nfair, unjustified, and brutal鈥�.

Read more: Fury as French PM forces through pension reforms without a vote

Prime Minister 脡lisabeth Borne has said she will meet union representatives next week to discuss a way forward through the crisis.

The government passed its controversial reform - which sees the minimum retirement age in France rise from 62 to 64 - via the 49.3 article in mid-March. It then narrowly escaped two votes of no confidence put forward by opposition parties.

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