France, May 5 -- Train drivers and controllers are planning to strike between 5 May and 11 May - a period that includes a holiday weekend. Rail workers are protesting over wages and scheduling issues.

Train controllers at France's national rail company, SNCF, are planning to strike on 9, 10 and 11 May, following a call from Sud-Rail union, while drivers will strike from 7 May. The CGT-Cheminots, SNCF's largest union, has urged workers to mobilise starting on Monday, 5 May.

Drivers and train controllers are protesting the implementation of new scheduling software, which, according to Sud Rail, "constantly changes, without prior notice, at the last minute" the working weeks of staff.

In response, SNCF has promised to provide six months' ...