On Tuesday, the protests spread to almost half of the country’s jails, with wardens and guards blockading up to 80 facilities.

The wardens at France’s biggest jail, the Fleury-Merogis penitentiary, blocked access in and out of the building for most of Tuesday morning, which prompted anti-riot police to use tear gas.

In cities around Paris, the guards at the La Sante and Le Fresnes prisons also mounted barricades outside their respective facilities.

Not enough guards, too many prisoners

The protesters began their movement on Monday to lend weight to their demands for more staff and better working conditions.

The country’s prisons are equipped to hold just over 50,000 inmates. However, at present, there are over 60,000 inmates, which has led to an increase in violence among prisoners, and also between inmates and guards.

"It’s become so bad, that now there’s prisoners on every floor," says Christophe Madelaine, a guard at the Fleury-Merogis prison.

"Some levels have over a hundred inmates – we just can’t control those kinds of numbers. That’s why there are more and more conflicts," he said.

Conditions leading to suicide

The worsening conditions aren’t only a concern for workers at France’s prisons – the inmates there are suffering as well. The Council of Europe estimates that inmate suicides in France are double that of Germany and Britain, and three times that of Spain.

Union leaders say at least 50 inmates have taken their lives this year alone, but prison officials have refused to confirm those figures.

The Council called conditions in France worse than in any other country in western Europe.

Insufficient governmental response

Meanwhile, the French government has said it is ready to combat the problem. At least 2,000 and 3,000 new jobs have been created to bolster prison staffing, but the budget ministry says more could not be done.

Justice Minister Rachida Dati met with union leaders on Tuesday in an attempt to bring the protests to an end.

Dati told parliament after the talks that "major advances" had been made, a claim the unions disputed.

The head of all three unions said afterwards that the deal currently offered by the state was unacceptable.

Minister Dati herself has come under fire, as critics have accused her of being incapable of running the justice system. They say she is merely concerned with the fame and glamour of her position, not in actually doing the job.

Justice ministry spokesman Guillaume Didier, however, claimed the opposite was true.

"Our ministry has established an exemplary program for creating space in our jails. In addition, we have worked to improve the working conditions for our wardens and guards. In all seriousness, Minister Dita’s politics are very well-balanced," he said.

Strikes by wardens and guards are forbidden by French law; nevertheless, over 4,000 took part in the demonstrations on Tuesday, and just as many are expected to continue protesting across France on Wednesday and Thursday until union demands have been met.