Workers in France are beginning a day of strike and demonstrations today to protest against the government plans to cut jobs and raise the age of retirement from 60 to 62. President Sarkozy said the pension reform is necessary to cope with an aging population. The 24-hour-strike is set to hit public transport, banks, air traffic and the postal service. Unions say they expect hundreds of thousands of private and public sector workers to take to the streets to protest about the plans. The strike date coincides with the presentation of the pension reform bill to parliament.