New strikes to hit France

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 18

New strikes to hit France

I (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, November 17. The strike-torn French capital, its streets lined with rubbish and its postal system virtually paralysed, will face new disruptions of train services tomorrow after nearly a week of normal running. But most attention is concentrated on the 24-hour national strike planned for Tuesday. The series of stoppages hitting the country will then affect the private sector for the first time.

The strike is primarily a protest against the Government’s austerity measures. Workers are demanding more pay and better conditions. Postal workers are also asking for more personnel.

France’s two main union federations, the Communistled Confederation Generale du Travail (C.G.T.) and the Confederation Francaise det Democratique du Travail (C.F.D.T.) have joined in launching the strike.

But both the more moderate federations—force Ouvriere (F. 0. and the Confederation Franchoise des Travailleurs Chretiens (C.F.T.C.) —have refused to join, saying that as strike action widens it is becoming political. This should ease the effects of the stoppages, which could cut deeply into French airline flights, underground train and bus services, and close many shops and schools.

French soldiers worked into the early hours of today cleaning the rubbish left in Paris streets by a four-day dustmen’s strike. Three thousand tons of re fuse are added to the pile each day and Army officials estimate it will take the soldiers at least five days to get things back to normal. The postal strike, now 31

days old, shows no sign of ending. Up to 90 per cent of Paris sorters are still out and effectively blocking all mail.