French workers have that certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to airing their grievances. This week it was the turn of train drivers who paralysed the rail service of 500,000 Parisian commuters in support of their demand for extra staff for the 1998 soccer World Cup finals.

The regional express line involved stops at the Paris suburb of Saint Denis home to the main stadium for the World Cup and is expected to be used by thousands of soccer fans next summer.

The Year of the French may not yet pass without a hitch.