Strike Action in France

[Mel B]

Hi all I've had an email from one of the travel companies we use at work about some French citizens getting a bit hot under the collar again, it reads: "Please see information below provided by the Foreign Office regarding protests and strike action in France which may affect travel plans. Protests and demonstrations against the French Government's new employment law, some of which have become violent with missiles being thrown and cars and property being set alight and destroyed, continue to take place in Paris and in other towns and cities throughout France. In some cases, groups of demonstrators have briefly blocked railway lines and main roads before being moved on by the police. Student and employee unions have called for another day of mass protest against the law on Tuesday 4 April 2006. In Paris an officially sanctioned march will take place between Place de la Republique and Place d™Italie beginning at 14:30. Those taking part are expected to gather from noon onwards. You are advised to avoid any areas where demonstrations are planned or taking place. Nationwide disruption to transport and other essential services is expected, although Eurostar currently anticipate their services will run normally. source www.fco.gov.uk" Anyone going in the next few days then be careful where you go.

[colin]

One of our customers has upset the french atc's by calling them lazy frogs, one of his planes was held up on runway by group of students protesting about his comments, not a good way to win friends and influenct people!

[Mel E]

You may have read the story about 6 months' ago about a French Gendarme who had just returned to work after some 13 years 'maternity leave', during which he wrote a carefully researched book about, if I remember correctly, Churchill. His wife continued to work except for 5 short periods when they added to their family and he took the extended leave, which you are allowed to do in France, some of it on half pay, until the youngest child reaches school age. During his extended absence, he was promoted twice, promotion being based on length of service. Is anyone surprised at the French wanting to preserve this gravy train? I'm just reading a fascinating book entitled 'Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't be Wrong' which seeks to explain the French psyche. I note that France is the second largest exporter of food products in the world (after the US) and has one of the most efficient and highly developed agriculture systems in the world. Which is presumably why France also gets the lion's share of the CAP budget, meaning that France's net contribution to EU funds is miniscule compared with the two leading contributors - Germany and the UK. I'm totally pro-Europe, actually believe that we should move towards a federal system - in another generation or so when a greater degree of convergence has occurred - but I also recognise the idiocies in the existing system.

[colin]

Reading about cap in times few months back (read some one else's copy i hasen to add) looking at the figures behind all the political rubbish that was being writen there's not much difference in cap payments except in this country most payments go to multi-millionaire land owners whilst in france its a little bit better for small farmers, acording to government figures in 30yrs time there will be a worldwide food shortage due to climate change, if france keeps its farms going then they will be ok, but in this country farms are going to the wall so we will be trying to import food that is not there!