The month-long stand-off between the government and France’s striking transport workers has entered a critical week, with talks set to resume on Tuesday, and further national protests in store.

The first Council of Ministers’ meeting was taking place on Monday, as commuters braced for a difficult return to work after the Christmas break.

The ongoing pension reform protests are certain to top the agenda, with strike calls launched on Monday by nurses and physiotherapists’ unions. An Air France pilots and flight attendants strike is also disrupting travel plans.

Talks intended to break the deadlock are due to resume on Tuesday, when Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is due to meet union leaders amid threats from the CGT that it intends to tighten the blockade of refineries, oil terminals and depots.

The big test of strikers’ resolve, however, will take place on Thursday and Saturday, when mass protests by the CGT, FO, CFE-CGC, Solidaires and FSU intersyndicale unions are planned.

The last national protests, led by the united trade union coalition, took place on December 17. Union leaders will hope the first mass strike of the year will garner as much support as the first marches, on December 5.

A total 806,000 marchers joined the first nationwide protests, according to the Interior Ministry. The CGT put the figure at 1.5million. Rail and public transport workers have maintained their strike since then, even during the Christmas holiday period.

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