Paris, April 27 (RHC)-- State rail workers in France went on strike Tuesday over management plans to rewrite working conditions in preparation for Europe-wide deregulation.  The 24-hour industrial action reduced high-speed train services and intercity rail journeys to one in three, seriously disrupting services around the country, canceling a slew of train routes and snarling commutes for hundreds of thousands in the capital, Paris, and several other provinces.

France's national rail company SNCF said half of the country's high speed TGV trains were canceled.  It said one out of three suburban trains was similarly affected.  In Paris, the French capital, half of all suburban train trips were hit.

Tuesday's strike, which is rail workers' third industrial action in two months, stems from a dispute between labor and management over working hours, overtime and compensation.