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PARIS, Dec. 9-- While train and metro services remained heavily disrupted by a strike against pension reform on Monday for the fifth day in a row, the French government is stepping up efforts to justify pension reform, offering further talks with labor unions to dampen social anger. The government's High Commissioner for Pensions Jean-Paul Delevoye and Minister for Solidarities and Health Agnes Buzyn convened on Monday afternoon the unions to discuss conclusions of month-long consultations on ways to overhaul the country's pension regime. "I am convinced that the status quo is no longer bearable, that this project is necessary and that future generations will be grateful to us," Delevoye said after the meeting. "The priorities that emerge (from talks) are demand for equity and solidarity," he added, noting that consultations would continue next year as some differences remained. Taking into account unions' proposals, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will unveil on Wednesday full modalities of pension reform that he pledged to introduce "progressively, without harshness." "I am convinced that with the trade unions we will find the right balance point that will reassure the workforce on their future without giving up our firm willingness to project the country into the future and set up the universal system," Philippe said on Friday. President Emmanuel Macron will meet main figures of the ruling party -- the Republic On the Move -- and government officials on Tuesday evening as unions called for a second round of mass protests against pension reform. | 
