A Day in Paris

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Greves Galore

STRIKE STRIKE STRIKE

After not hearing about greves/strikes for a while, they are back in full force this week. A full hour of French class was devoted to discussing the greves this week. On one hand it seems crazy that the strikes are planned ahead and for a specified time, but let me tell you that even when you know ahead of time, the strike can make your life very difficult.

I remember that about three or more years ago there was a strike by the railway union when I had a flight to Rome to meet my husband there. I took a cab from my apartment to CDG with my two small children. The normally 30-45 minute cab trip took three hours because of the congestion from people driving and not taking the train. The kids were upset because all the food and drink I had brought were in the trunk. We missed our flight and I had two unhappy children to contend with until we arrived at the Rome airport many hours later.

Anyway, according to the greve timetable for the week, today the mail carrier union was on strike for day. You could still go to the post office and mail letters or packages, but no mail was delivered to your home. This strike is over tomorrow.

Tonight at 8pm a number of the trade unions for the railway, SNCF, start their strike. Hopefully none of you were planning a trip by train. Widespread cancellations are expected. The RER (train lines in Paris that connect to the suburbs) is expected to be basically closed. There will be a lot of congestion as people try to commute to their office tomorrow. Also on Wednesday, public hospital surgeons, who my teacher said earned 1,000 euro/month, are expected to strike for a pay increase.

Teachers in public schools are expected to strike on Thursday. It's as close to a snow day as you get here in Paris. Parents can call ahead to find out if the teacher for their children has shown up for work. Otherwise, it's a day off from school! The thrill of a potential day off. Remember how good that felt?

There are whole websites -- pro, con, purely informational -- devoted to the "Mouvements sociaux" or social movements that are going on in France. The best and most comprehensive is in Le Nouvel Observateur.

The funny thing though is that not everyone goes on strike. For instance individual metro lines will have reduced service, but others run as normal, or that individual teachers will show for work. Tomorrow, the five RER lines will be running from 16% to 25% capacity.

Bonne route!

-- said Auntie M in Paris
8:20 PM

6 comments

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Comments:

I was reading "Metro" on Monday and they listed all of the strikes for the rest of the week on the front page. I found it so bizarre that they are known ahead of time and publicized.

I, also, read that one of the groups is really upset, because the French are thinking of changing the law where workers were paid for the days they were on strike. So, you are telling me when these people strike, they still get paid? I find that totally unbelievable.

Jason
http://jasonstone.typepad.com

# posted by Anonymous : 9:47 PM

OK, this is the blog I need to read to make me not miss Paris, ha ha!!! So sorry Auntie M. I remember those days and it sucks!

Were you serious about public surgeons only making 1000 euros a month? That's ridiculous!! I thought teachers had it bad....

Hang in there!
CMAC

# posted by Anonymous : 11:44 PM

Because our country prohibit strikes of public officials, teacher's strike like the States and France, was really suprising to me. (But it would be good opportunity for students as early education of worker's rights...?)
More mysterious thing for me is...French strike, some workers do but others don't, just like you mentioned in the last part.

# posted by Teriyaki : 1:14 AM

A few years ago when the teachers were on strike a lot, they had to calculate whether of not they could afford it. My husband is secretay of the CGT (a union) in the monuments and I can assure you he will not be paid for striking on Thursday. Union funds are available for cases of hardship, but the more people who go on strike, the further the money has to stretch. State owned monuments could be closed on Thursday too

# posted by Anji : 11:39 AM

Strike dates and times are known well in advance because French law states that unions which plan to strike must file a "préavis de grève" (call it a "strike notice") some time beforehand. This is so "dispositions" can be made. (smile) A strike which has a "préavis" is a "legal" strike, whereas a strike without "préavis" is a "grève sauvage", i.e., a "wild" strike (not to be confused with a "wildcat" strike in the USA, which is not the same thing. There "wildcat" means a strike not sanctioned by a union.)

Wednesday is a good strike day and is beginning to be quite popular. This is because a lot of people have time off due to them because of the 35-hour workweek. They file for time off ("poser un RTT") hot on the heels of the "préavis de grève". Wednesday: simply because a lot of kids are off school on Wednesday afternoons. Hence this gives a working parent a whole afternoon with the kid(s). In my experience car traffic on the roads on strike struck Wednesday mornings is lighter than other mornings. Your mileage may differ, of course.

L'Amerloque

# posted by L'Amerloque : 5:51 PM