French prison officers protest enters 2nd week

Prison guards on Monday entered a second week of social movement to protest poor and unsecure working conditions in the country's overcrowded jails.

After a wave of assaults that had put lives of jail officers at risk, three trade unions, Ufap-Unsa Justice, CGT and the SNP Force Ouvriere (FO) called hardened action and vowed to stage "a total blockade" after talks with government fell short to reach a compromise.

Among the 188 jails, 130 participated Monday's movement, according to FO union.

Prison staff are demanding improved working conditions after a series of attacks by detainees, including some convicted of terrorism and radicalization.

The action emerged after an inmate, a follower of al-Qaida terrorist cell, on Jan. 11 wounded three agents with a pair of scissors and a razor blade at the Vendin-le-Vieil prison, north France.

Similar assaults were reported in other jails with the lastest on Sunday at Longuenesse prison near Calais, north France, in which an inmate attacked two guards with a table leg.

"The staff are tired and furious, the movement will be hard on Monday and will not stop if the government proposes only little measures," Christopher Dorangeville, the secretary general of the CGT-Penitentiary was quoted as saying.

With no end of the standoff in sight, justice minister Nicole Belloubet invited representatives of trade unions to a new round of talks later in the day to end the crisis.

"The Minister of Justice wishes to resume dialogue immediately," the ministry said in a statement overnight.

The minister also called for "the responsibility of everyone to ensure that safety and functioning of prisons are guaranteed."

Admitting it was "disgraceful" and "unacceptable" that France's prisons' occupancy rate has reached 139 percent, French President Emmanuel Macron asked for "a comprehensive penitentiary plan" before the end of February 2018.

Penitentiary staff suffered between 4,000 and 5,000 physical assaults per year, according to unions figures.