Paris, France (CNN) -- France's eight leading trade unions Thursday were staging their second day of strikes this month to protest government pension reforms that include raising the retirement age.
The strikes began overnight and were set to continue through the day. Demonstrations were taking place in more than 100 locations across France, with a major one due to begin at 2 p.m. (8 a.m. ET).
Commuters suffered because of the strike Thursday, with about half as many flights and trains in operation. People crowded train platforms and squeezed onto trains.
"People can still get to where they're going, but it's pretty uncomfortable," CNN Senior International Correspondent Jim Bittermann reported from Paris. "Twice as many people jammed into half as many trains".
Most international trains and flights -- including the high-speed Eurostar and Thalys trains and long-haul flights -- were operating normally.
Unions were hoping more than 2.5 million people would get involved in Thursday's demonstrations. Some union members were being brought into the capital in buses Thursday to boost the numbers.
The unions staged a similar day of strikes and demonstrations September 7.
France's National Assembly passed a controversial bill last week to raise the national retirement age from 60 to 62, something that President Nicolas Sarkozy says is needed because rising life expectancy increases the financial burden on the pension system.
CNN
