Ferry cancellations as strikes hits calais and cherbourg ports

WORKERS’ ONGOING PROTEST AGAINST PENSION REFORMS AFFECTS SEVERAL FRENCH PORTS. IRISH FERRIES AND BRITTANY FERRIES ARE AFFECTED DO YOU RECEIVE THE CONNEXION'S FREE WEEKDAY NEWSLETTER?

Sign up here Several France to UK ferries have been cancelled today (June 7) due to a major strike over pension reform at ports in the north of France including Calais and Cherbourg.  Irish

Ferries and Brittany Ferries are affected and further delays and cancellations should be expected. More strikes are announced for next week. Freight transport is also impacted. Port workers

from the CGT union have been protesting against pension reform since May 30 and had called for June 7 to be a day of “ports morts”, or ‘dead ports’. The union wants the government to add

exemptions for port workers to last years’ pension reform law. Read more: We failed to reverse controversial pension reforms, say French  unions  > The #PortofDover have been informed 

that there could possibly be > Industrial Action at The Port of Calais, on Friday 7th June. We will > monitor the situation closely in liaison with our ferry partners and > the Port

 of Calais. For more info: https://t.co/qeJG5Byg2o > pic.twitter.com/CEDFOPwqQ5 > — Port of Dover Travel (@PoD_travelnews) June 6, 2024 WHICH PORTS ARE AFFECTED BY THE STRIKES? The

strikes are affecting passenger ferries at Cherbourg and Calais ports as well as freight at Le Havre. Both Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries have announced cancellations on Cherbourg and

Calais routes. Passengers travelling through these ports today (June 7) should anticipate disruption and contact their ferry companies for up-to-date information. The port of Dover said that

it was monitoring the situation, but following the cancellations, ferry traffic appeared to be flowing normally again. Port workers are planning further strikes on June 13, 21 and 25. > 

#TrafficandWeather at #PortofDover. Sea conditions in the Channel > are smooth with a light West sou westerly breeze, force 2. > Visibility is good. Freight and tourist traffic flowing

 through the > Port normally at this time despite the planned strike in Calais > Port. > — Port of Dover Travel (@PoD_travelnews) June 6, 2024 WHY ARE PORT WORKERS PROTESTING

AGAINST PENSION REFORM? France’s controversial pension reform law, which saw large-scale strikes last year, came into force on September 1, 2023. It introduced a gradual increase of the

minimum pension age from 62 to 64 by 2030. The minimum working time required to qualify for a full pension will increase to 43 years. However, the reform allows exemptions for certain

careers, including lorry drivers, but not port workers.