The young hoodlums treat these items as trophies. French unions may strike over introduction of euro French bank workers and security van drivers threatened the Jospin government last week with strikes and protests over its failure to consult them on the introduction of euro notes and coins. Security van drivers have already staged a series of strikes and protests, demanding better protection against sometimes fatal attacks, in which robbers have used automatic weapons, and, in one case, a bazooka. German defence proposals provoke strikes Civilian workers at German military bases have gone on strike against the threat of a possible 120,000 job losses due to reforms in the defence department. Thousands of workers walked off the job to press demands for legal guarantees against layoffs.
Workers are to step up strikes if the government refuses to address their demands.
Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping has proposed that many civilian tasks to be contracted out to private companies. The union wants assurances that pay scales will be maintained and that civilians forced to retire early under the reform suffer no cuts in government pensions. The reform plans have prompted the US to complain that Germany should do more for NATO readiness, while there have been local protests against planned base closures. Under reforms approved by parliament last year, Germany's military is to be cut from the current level of 338,000 to about 280,000 by 2004. The balance will be shifted toward professional soldiers.