FRANCE’S president and prime minister sent conflicting messages to workers over hated labour “reforms” yesterday as rail strikes began.

PM Manuel Valls’s Socialist Party government asked the largest trade union federation CGT to propose solutions to the battle over the El Khomri law, which will see working time limits raised from 35 to 46 hours a week and erode other workers’ rights.

Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri said yesterday she was waiting to hear from CGT general secretary Philippe Martinez after hearing he had called for fresh talks.

With the strikes threatening to cause travel chaos during the Euro 2016 football tournament staring on June 10, Mr Martinez said the ball was in the government’s court.

“We’re not going to stop people going to see the football matches, but the government has to be prepared to discuss,” he said. “Everything is in its hands.”

But President Francois Hollande told the Sud-Ouest newspaper the law — forced through by decree after parliament refused to pass it — “will not be withdrawn.”

“The text assures the best performance for businesses and offers new rights to employees,” he said.

CGT Bouches-du-Rhone regional secretary Olivier Mateu urged Mr Hollande to reconsider, saying: “There is no shame in political leaders going back on their decision when they have made a mistake, to create the conditions to discuss social progress in this country.”

Six of France’s eight oil refineries were blockaded or partially disrupted yesterday by ongoing protests against the law, with about a fifth of petrol stations out of fuel or running low.

Meanwhile a strike at national rail firm SNCF was set to begin last night, with further strikes on the Paris Metro and at air and sea ports due later in the week.

Junior Transport Minister Alain Vidalies said 60 per cent of the country’s high-speed trains and half the Paris regional trains were expected to run today.

The Paris tourist board complained that “guerilla-type” images of protests were putting off holiday-makers.