Strikes and protests intensify in France: flights, trains and roads impacted this week
Strikes and protests intensify in France: flights, trains and roads impacted this week"
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:
A week of strikes is set to hit France hard in the coming days, in what some are calling a ‘black week’ for the country.
Pilots, rail workers, and farmers will all go on strike or demonstrate between November 14 and 21, causing disruption to travellers and drivers, as well as the transportation of goods.
Unions and members backing these groups have also hinted at – or confirmed – further action in December, including over the Christmas period, if their demands are not met during this first
wave of strike action.
Read more: Strikes in France in November 2024 and how you may be impacted
Pilots will start the week of disruption with a one-day strike on Thursday (November 14), affecting flights to and from French airports.
They are striking over the government’s plan to hike airline solidarity taxes, raising an extra €1 billion a year, and have warned further action is on the way.
The strike was started by leading union in the sector syndicat national des pilotes de ligne (SNPL), however other unions representing workers in the sector – UNSA transport, UNSA PNC,
CFE-CGC FNEMA, UNAC, SNPNC-FO and FEETS-FO – have all called on workers to join the action.
This includes pilots and other airline and airport employees.
Further information on disruption to flights should be known either today (November 12) or tomorrow (November 13), and those set to travel on Thursday should check the status of their
journey with their flight operator.
Farmers – who have already been protesting locally in the south of France – will intensify their demonstrations, bringing them to a national level, on Friday (November 15).
Anger over the precarious situation of farmers, a lack of development on promises made after strikes earlier this year, EU regulations and the EU-South America free trade agreement
negotiations are all behind the demonstrations, set to be held across the country, but particularly in the south.
Unlike pilots and rail operators, currently set to strike for a single day in November, action by farmers will be continuous, as they are not bound by a strike motion.
Disruption similar to the beginning of the year, which saw roads blocked by tractors, is likely.
Full and specific details of where the protests will be held are not yet known, however freight transport blockages are expected and a large demonstration will be held in Agen on November
19.
Read more: Farmers threaten to ‘block country’ in further mass disruption
Finally, four major unions representing SNCF rail workers will strike next Thursday (November 21), with passenger traffic likely to be heavily disrupted.
The main focus of the action is over the SNCF’s decision to open up regional train lines to privatisation, and the dismantling of the national freight service, making it easier to be
privatised in the future.
Information on journey’s disrupted will be made available on the evening of Tuesday November 19, with TGV and regional services likely to be hit.
The unions have also filed a recurring strike motion from December 11 onwards, which will include the Christmas season.
Trending News
Life and death in peripheral T cellsT cells can die by several mechanisms: by extrinsic cell-death-receptor- and caspase-dependent apoptosis, by intrinsic m...
Actor Shane Nigam agrees to end row with producers’ association, complete pending filmsIn an attempt to end the row between actor Shane Nigam and Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), the former has deci...
Parkland school resource officer who didn't enter building during mass shooting found not guiltyA jury has found Scot Peterson, the officer who did not enter the Parkland, Fla., high school where a gunman shot and ki...
How strange! Scientists stunned as they unearth 8,500-year-old figure carved from a donkeyThe small figurine was uncovered at the ancient site of Çatalhöyük in southern Turkey. Scientists were immediately drawn...
Birmingham stabbings: Violent outbreak 'inevitable' due to coronavirus anger -police chiefSpeaking at a press conference in Birmingham, Mr Jamieson claimed it was almost "inevitable" the current coronavirus cli...
Latests News
Strikes and protests intensify in France: flights, trains and roads impacted this weekA week of strikes is set to hit France hard in the coming days, in what some are calling a ‘black week’ for the country....
O.C. Cable News Channel May Be Expanded to All of SouthlandThe company that is buying Orange County’s cable news channel is planning to expand into Los Angeles, which could create...
Mr G McCraw v Screw Conveyor Ltd: 4100352/2017 - GOV.UKMr G McCraw v Screw Conveyor Ltd: 4100352/2017 Employment Tribunal decision. From: HM Courts & Tribunals Service and Emp...
Clements’ 65 Brings Record, Two-Shot LeadLennie Clements, who has not won in more than 15 seasons on the PGA Tour, shot a seven-under-par 65 on Torrey Pines’ Nor...
Mario Lopez's Pup Suffered from 'Post-Partum Depression' After Meeting Baby GiaMario Lopez's Pup Suffered from 'Post-Partum Depression' After Meeting Baby Gia The star of The Dog Who Saved Christmas ...