What can we expect from Thursday's French strike?
The hardline CGT union has called a strike on Thursday in its ongoing dispute with the French government, however disruption is expected to be minimal. Here's what we can expect.
When
The strike is called for Thursday, October 27th, and is a one-day strike only. A further one-day strike is planned for Thursday, November 10th.
Who
The strike has been called by the hardline CGT union as an 'inter-professional' strike - for workers in multiple sectors. It does not focus on a specific grievance such as a pay dispute, but is generally calling for pay increases across the board to cope with the rising cost of living, and it also called partly as an angry response to the government using the controversial power known as 'requisition' to force striking oil refinery employees back to work.
Meanwhile in separate actions, workers at France's nuclear power plants have called off their strike after reaching a pay deal, while almost all oil refinery employees are now back at work and fuel supplies at most French filling stations are getting back to normal.
What will the disruption be?
The first strike in this series was on October 18th and saw fairly minimal disruption; only six percent of teachers and four percent of public sector employees supported the strike, meaning that most schools and government services operated as normal, while on the transport network the majority of Paris public transport services and TGV trains operated as normal. The regional TER trains saw about half of the normal services running.
This time is appears that disruption will be much lighter, with other unions opting not to join the CGT in its strike call.
On the Paris public transport network, operator RATP has not indicated that any disruption is likely. However more RATP employees say they intend to join the November 10th strike, with warnings of a 'black Thursday' for transport in the capital.
On the railways, SNCF has not indicated any disruption of services - the CGT Cheminots union has called for workers to join demos, but has not issued a strike call. Several demos are planned at stations, including one at Paris Montparnasse.
Schools are on holiday, so teachers will not join this strike but crèches - where workers are involved in a separate pay dispute - could be affected, along with municipal-run holiday clubs.
Demonstrations are planned in several cities, including Paris.
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When
The strike is called for Thursday, October 27th, and is a one-day strike only. A further one-day strike is planned for Thursday, November 10th.
Who
The strike has been called by the hardline CGT union as an 'inter-professional' strike - for workers in multiple sectors. It does not focus on a specific grievance such as a pay dispute, but is generally calling for pay increases across the board to cope with the rising cost of living, and it also called partly as an angry response to the government using the controversial power known as 'requisition' to force striking oil refinery employees back to work.
Meanwhile in separate actions, workers at France's nuclear power plants have called off their strike after reaching a pay deal, while almost all oil refinery employees are now back at work and fuel supplies at most French filling stations are getting back to normal.
What will the disruption be?
The first strike in this series was on October 18th and saw fairly minimal disruption; only six percent of teachers and four percent of public sector employees supported the strike, meaning that most schools and government services operated as normal, while on the transport network the majority of Paris public transport services and TGV trains operated as normal. The regional TER trains saw about half of the normal services running.
This time is appears that disruption will be much lighter, with other unions opting not to join the CGT in its strike call.
On the Paris public transport network, operator RATP has not indicated that any disruption is likely. However more RATP employees say they intend to join the November 10th strike, with warnings of a 'black Thursday' for transport in the capital.
On the railways, SNCF has not indicated any disruption of services - the CGT Cheminots union has called for workers to join demos, but has not issued a strike call. Several demos are planned at stations, including one at Paris Montparnasse.
Schools are on holiday, so teachers will not join this strike but crèches - where workers are involved in a separate pay dispute - could be affected, along with municipal-run holiday clubs.
Demonstrations are planned in several cities, including Paris.
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