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Strike, Tuesday 19th October


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[quote user="gardengirl "]

A new national strike has been called for Tuesday 19th October:

http://www.cgt.fr/spip.php?article37823&debut_premier_article=

[/quote]

Like many expats you are confusing a strike and a demonstration.

Your link is in fact an exhortation to amplify the "manifestations" on saturday and tuesday next and expresses approval of the participation of " la jeunesse".

The gentleman may be affected by a strike; la jeunesse on the streets of  parigotland will have limited effect.

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[quote user="gardengirl "]

Really, pachapapa?

''d’une nouvelle journée nationale de grèves et de manifestations le mardi 19 octobre'' would seem to me to say a new day of national strikes and demonstrations on Tuesday 19 October. How do you read it?

 

[/quote]

OK there is a paragraph containing strike but the communique is pushing the manifestation as the primary objective on saturday and tuesday; your thread title misconstrues the spirit of the communique.[:)]

Let me pose the question differently.

What strikes are currently confirmed for next tuesday?

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In bed this morning loal radio newscast/

The CRS have invaded Fos-sur-mer. La Rochelle is under blockade. An appeal is made for strikes on tuesday....funny thought that was done and dusted.

Ah! Perhaps it is just local and the poitevins have still to decide about tuesday next.[:)]

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Have just seen this on the France 24 website, not sure if its propaganda but,

"Unions call for new protests Oct. 19 as strikes continue for third day

French unions called for another day of strikes and protests to take place on October 19 over plans to raise the retirement age as an ongoing open-ended strike disrupted services and transport for a fourth day on Thursday."

!
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[quote user="gardengirl "]

Mogs, list of cancellations by Ryanair here:

[/quote]

Thanks for the advance warning Jo. 

We did have friends coming out Ltn - Nimes on Tues, but that's put the kibosh on it. Our advice is going to be to cancel & take the refund - things are just too volatile at the moment.

So that's a couple of hundred euros lost to the local economy.  Multiply that by another 70 or so couples on that flight + all the other 00's of people put off on subsequent days / weeks & it's money that the local economy can't afford to lose. 

Good for RA though - making a decision upfront so that people know where they are.

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Things are indeed very volatile, Gardian. As you say, a lot of money the local economy could do with is being missed; all those meals etc people would have bought multiplied up must be a very useful sum. It's being repeated all over the country too. I'm aware of a lot from US who already had cold feet about coming to Europe following the volcanic ash episode, then our security position became very worrying for them, now these strikes could well be the last straw! We might think that line of thought is barmy, but many of them are not natural travellers, to them Europe is a bold step, and it's a sincerely held view! [:)]

It also concerns me greatly that local businesses still seem ignorant of how much more they have to lose if Nimes shuts. Or should it be when Nimes shuts?! I brought the subject up with a few local business people a few months ago, but apart from initial surprise, I imagine it was soon forgotten.

I know that quite a few years ago I read that around Euro100m would be lost in revenue from tourism and local commerce, plus hundreds of jobs lost. I've not heard much about it all for a couple of years, but I seem to remember 2011/2012 being the pull-out date for the military.

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[quote user="gardengirl "]It also concerns me greatly that local businesses still seem ignorant of how much more they have to lose if Nimes shuts. Or should it be when Nimes shuts?! I brought the subject up with a few local business people a few months ago, but apart from initial surprise, I imagine it was soon forgotten.

I know that quite a few years ago I read that around Euro100m would be lost in revenue from tourism and local commerce, plus hundreds of jobs lost. I've not heard much about it all for a couple of years, but I seem to remember 2011/2012 being the pull-out date for the military.[/quote]

The Aeronavale has already moved some of its activity away, and will pull out entirely next year. However a branch of the army logistics corps will be moving in and there is an agreement that the military will maintain an ATC service on the base. But still, Ryanair is the only scheduled airline operating out of Nimes, with only up to 3 flights per day. There is also an aircraft maintenance organisation and a small business aviation outfit. Nimes is not viable without some subsidy.

Regards

Pickles

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Pickles, is the aircraft maintenance organisation Sabena? I know they were still seeking clarification of the position not so long ago. I hadn't heard about the ATC service, so that is very good news. As you say, without subsidy the airport couldn't continue.

I noticed when we came through this week that the shop wasn't open and the people behind us in the queue said it hadn't been the previous week either. I can't imagine it made a lot of money, but some visitors found it useful. Going through security was also more streamlined; after the long wait on the concourse as usual, the luggage searches were very quick - never had such good service on there, although it did make the final wait longer. Without a drink for most of the wait too, as the little shop through there was very late opening.

I for one wouldn't mind some of my tax being put towards a subsidy for the airport. I seem to remember there was a support Nimes airport fund set up; wonder if they got many donations, or maybe it was to support a campaign for publicity.

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Guardian wrote : 

So that's a couple of hundred euros lost to the local economy.  Multiply that by another 70 or so couples on that flight + all the other 00's of people put off on subsequent days / weeks & it's money that the local economy can't afford to lose. 

And the ferries !   I have returned to the UK ...10 days earlier than we planned after having to wait  in line for fuel  ... I am afriad  the French willingness to rush straight into industrial action aimed at people who travel made me think " Time to get out  before they kick off again "  So I am  back with more 50 euro notes left in  my wallet than I normally have  Euros  that would have gone to the Super U and restaurants .  

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I haven't been on the forum much recently, but at second thought maybe I'm not welcome any longer.

After reading two threads of hostile comments about the current protest movement , I assume it is difficult to understand French mentalities.

And maybe for us French to understand how you see things.

I don't want to get into an argument, and it would be useless anyway.

I am on strike, and I joined in the demonstration this morning.

Just a reminder : 71 % of French people support the social protest movement.

Best regards, be happy.

Régine.

 

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Regine, everyone is entitled to have an opinion and you've chosen to be loyal to your cause so no one can knock you for that, I for one certainly won't.

However much disruption the strikes cause there is a reason for them which I try to understand

Can I just ask please, in his manifest before his election and he became President, was this retirement age notified? I just wonder as all the French people I know despise Sarkozy so I just wonder how he became President in the first place.

I hope my question doesn't offend, it is not meant to I merely am interested to know.

Good luck
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I was in Perigueux today and the whole town was being effected by the strike and demonstrations.  Just driving round the town was really difficult but not one horn being sounded except in support of the demonstrators.  It was heartening, lots of people out in the rain, singing with the demonstrators, all sectors involved (including the police and fire services) and a rally at the Prefecture to round it all off.

Told J about it when I went to visit her in hospital and the only thing that annoyed us both was that the fact she had a new knee fitted yesterday, it stopped us from joining in with the demonstrators, ok, it doesn't effect us directly but after the DLA fiasco - which incidentally is STILL rumbling on, it's yet to be finalised so more to come on that - a measure of solidarity would have been indicated.

It would have been nice if there was some similar action in the UK, especially after the coalition took an axe to the military today, 7,000 soldiers, 5,000 each from the RAF and Navy - didn't hear once on the reports how many civil servants were going tho, perhaps that bombshell will drop tomorrow.  And apart from some mealy-mouthed Labour opposition, the British public just seem to be accepting what's coming down the pike.

And at last seeing some form of socialism on the streets, not Socialism but people acting in common in a socially supporting way.

Frenchie, good on you girl, stick with your principles, some people here would be joining you if they could !

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Frenchie, I've noticed you haven't been around and hoped all was well with you.

I didn't think that there were two threads of hostile comments; people commented on the situation and mentioned things they came across or thought would be helpful. I can't recall any making particularly nasty comments about the current protests. The reason I started this thread was to be helpful to people who might be thinking of travelling today, not to be hostile about it. It's a pity you think it shows how difficult it is for us to understand French people.

The situation in England, France and other European countries is different, but we all have major problems ahead of us. Your government is taking a course of action which you don't agree with, along with many of your fellow countrymen. You've come out on strike; that's your choice, and no doubt many people reading the posts on this forum have done so in the past. People on here are commenting, but surely it would be strange if they didn't; many live in France, most own property in France, I guess most are very interested in what goes on here. Some may support the protest, others will be against it. Similarly with my French neighbours and French people I come across in town; some support the protests, although they might not all agree with the strikes, whereas others are violently against it.

I really hope these threads and comments on them don't make you feel unwelcome here.

 

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Makes you wonder if governments should be the ones controlling things like pensions.

I know I will be taking mine into my own hands and plan to build my pension based on buying properties over the next 25 years. I don't trust any government to look after my future, they have all proven to be unreliable. Perhaps pensions should be all done privately.
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It seems that those who work for the State in some form or other have the divine right to a job for life, pensions at very favourable rates and really most favourable contract conditions compared to the private sector. Why can they not pay their share or be open to redundancy or recycling or whatever, like the rest of the population? This applies to all the countries mentioned above and no doubt many others.
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[quote user="Frenchie"]

Just a reminder : 71 % of French people support the social protest movement.

Best regards, be happy.

Régine.

[/quote]

I think the other 29% must live round where I live because there is little support by the general public here. [:D] I think French and English (and a few other countries come to that) newspapers are wildly exaggerating the numbers involved depending on their political leaning. I found asking around and listening to peoples conversations gives me a better idea as to how people feel (round here anyway). Our local SNCF station master has not been to the boule club for a few weeks, I asked if it was because of the strike etc but was told he is staying away for his own safety.

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