French bus drivers in Marseille are to strike  because their new uniform trousers are too tight.

The 1,600 workers at the RTM public transport  company have announced their plans for a 24-hour walkout in June over the  quality, colour and fit of the trousers.

The colour of their work shirts has also  changed from yellow to lavender, but union leaders are angered by the  close-fitting bottoms.

The 1,600 drivers at the state-run RTM in Marseille are  to walk out in June over their new uniforms

Bernard Gargiolo, leader of the CGT transport  union, said: ‘We reject the bottom half of this new uniform, which is the same  colour as the Gendarmes [French police] wear.

‘The employees don’t want to wear a uniform  that was chosen unilaterally by the management, without taking into account the  views of our clothing committee.’

And one bus driver told the city’s La  Provence newspaper: ‘I won’t be wearing them. They make us look like we work for  the Speedy! car repair company.

‘The shirts are alright, but these trousers  are far too tight.’

The new uniform’s designer Jonathan Charles defended his creation, adding: ‘People are saying they look like clowns. Well, that was already the case with the old outfits.’

France has the most strikes in Europe, though  former president Nicolas Sarkozy decreed that public transport workers must give  a 48-hour warning before a walkout or face sanctions.

Unions say this is to suppress the strike  from gaining momentum among other workers by making them wait to join in, and  makes it easier for employers to keep watch over employees.

Between 2005 and 2009, the country lost 132  days per 1,000 workers to strike action.

Around the world, only Canada and South  Africa outdo the French in their willingness to walk out.

Read more: Mail Online