Lorry drivers block key roads in France amid massive social protests

Lorry drivers have added their weight to the industrial mayhem gripping France by slowing down motorway traffic or by blocking key roads.

After days of rail disruption, unions are putting on the pressure before Wednesday's Senate vote on President Nicolas Sarkozy's unpopular pension reforms. He is refusing to back down over a two-year retirement age hike, but so too are the unions, euronews reports.

Nationwide strikes over the pension changes have spread to the country's 12 oil refineries over the past seven days, adding to the impact of a three-week-long strike at France's largest oil port, Fos-Lavera, over working conditions and a port reform.

Refinery and port strikers showed no sign of giving ground, with the prospect of the stoppages continuing at least until a new day of nationwide protests called by unions for October 19, according to Reuters.