French strike eases, though delayed pension strife continues

FRENCH dockers have agreed to ease industrial action - mostly to one-hour a day work stoppages - at all French ports in response to signs of easing from the French Government, according to the Federation des ports et docks union.

Weekend work is being recommenced, and the one hour stoppage each day or shift suspended, reports London`s Containerisation International. The union also agreed to re-open talks on the French government`s port privatisation scheme involving the loss of public sector jobs on the waterfront. Northern Le Havre port and the terminal at Fos in the south of France have come to some agreement, but unrest continues in Marseilles.


The dock dispute is separate from the national transport strikes over delaying the state retirement pensions from 60 to 62, about which there has been little movement on either side.