A demonstrator holds a flare as French railway workers gather at the Gare de l'Est train station before marching in the streets of Paris, France, Thursday, March 22, 2018. Employees of the national railway company SNCF reject a government plan aimed at adapting the company ahead of opening the service to competition. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The Associated Press
PARIS (AP) - Trains, planes, schools and other public services across France were seriously disrupted Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Paris to call for more investment in public services and to oppose French President Emmanuel Macron's economic changes.
The Paris protest was mostly peaceful, but localized scuffles broke out between some protesters and riot police using tear gas and water cannons.
Confrontations between some protesters and riot police were also observed in the western city of Nantes.
Airport authorities say 30 percent of flights to and from Paris were canceled. National train company SNCF said only 40 percent of high-speed trains and half of regional trains were running.
Some schools and kindergarten were also closed.
The chateau of Versailles was also closed Thursday because of the employees' strike.
Union leaders said the strikes were a warning to the government.
"We agree that we need to makes changes to public services, but not to restrain them. To improve them. We need more public servants," Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT union, told FranceInfo radio.
Public servants want better wages and are protesting against the planned elimination of 120,000 jobs by 2022, SNCF employees also are rejecting a government plan aimed at adapting the rail company ahead of opening the service to competition.
"If we are not heard ... there would be calls for strikes and in that case, very few trains would run," said Julien Cabanne, a union official who came to Paris to protest.
SNCF unions have scheduled a series of strikes in April, May and June.
The Paris Metro was running normally, but suburban trains were affected by the strike.
Nirman Djeacoumaran, who lives in the Paris suburbs, told The Associated Press there was just one train per hour on his train line.
At Paris Orly airport, passenger Noemie Danican had just learned her EasyJet flight to Toulouse, in southern France, was canceled.
"I have no idea what's going to happen. This is going to be very difficult. Very, very difficult," she said.
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Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed to the story.
French railway workers gather at the Gare de l'Est train station before demonstrating in the streets of Paris, France, Thursday, March 22, 2018. Employees of the national railway company SNCF reject a government plan aimed at adapting the company ahead of opening the service to competition. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The Associated Press
An employee for the national railway operator SNCF has his face painted in red outside Gare de l'Est train station before a demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
French railway workers burn flares outside Gare de l'Est train station at the start of a demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Trains, planes, schools and other public services were widely disrupted in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
French railway workers burn flares outside Gare de l'Est train station at the start of a demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
French railway operator SNCF employees help commuters at the Saint Lazare station, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. French trains, flights, schools and other public services are set to be disrupted by nationwide strikes to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's economic measures. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
French railway employees burn flares outside Gare de l'Est train station at the start of a demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
French railway workers gather at the Gare de l'Est train station prior to demonstrate in the streets of Paris, France, Thursday, March 22, 2018. Banner reads : railway workers. Employees of the national railway company SNCF reject a government plan aimed at adapting the company ahead of opening the service to competition. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The Associated Press
Riot police officers detain a protester during a students demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Associated Press
Youths scuffle with riot police during a students demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Associated Press
French railway employees burn flares outside Gare de l'Est train station at the start of a demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
Train park at the Saint Lazare station in Paris, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. French trains, flights, schools and other public services are set to be disrupted by nationwide strikes to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's economic measures. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
The Associated Press
An empty platform is pictured during a railway strike at the Lyon Perrache train station, central France,Thursday, March 22, 2018. France's trains, flights, schools and other public services are set to be disrupted Thursday by nationwide strikes to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's economic measures. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
The Associated Press
Youths scuffle with riot police during a students demonstration, Thursday, March 22, 2018 in Paris. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Associated Press
People, with civil servants leading leading the group, march during a demonstration in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, March 22, 2018. Nationwide strikes are causing major disruptions to trains, planes, schools and other public services in France Thursday as unions set up dozens of street protests across the country. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
The Associated Press