- Title: FRANCE: Nationwide France strike is causing air travellers most disruption
- Date: 20th March 2009
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) COMMUTER, SAYING: "They have their demands and they have the right to express them as they understand them. But that creates problems for some people, which is always the dilemma with strikes. People have demands and this is the only way they can express them. I am not against it."
- Embargoed: 4th April 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France, France
- Country: France
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7WD0S72AZIH8B86XRZ79K4NJY
- Story Text: A nation-wide strike in the French public sector on Thursday (March 19) is leaving ground commuters relatively unscathed, but air travellers are scrambling to deal with frustrating delays and cancellations.
Airports, schools, trains, buses and government offices are affected by the strike. The country is not expected to grind to a halt, and as usual the strikers can count on a strong measure of sympathy from the public.
"They have their demands and they have the right to express them as they understand them. But that creates problems for some people, which is always the dilemma with strikes. People have demands and this is the only way they can express them. I am not against it," said one commuter
"I take the 14 line which is automatic, and there is never a strike on that line as the "robots" do not go on strike, at least for now. The lines are moving fairly well in Paris. I see buses driving around. The important thing is to show the authorities that the people are suffering," said a commuter, who identified himself as Captain Freddy.
Like Captain Freddy, Ouagoni Siam had no difficulty with her morning commute.
"No, not at all. Everything was perfect. I am lucky," she said.
The country's main unions called today's strike to denounce President Nicolas Sarkozy's handling of the economy. It follows a similar strike that took place on January 29 in which 2.5 million people took to the streets.
Meanwhile air passengers were having a more difficult time than ground commuters. At 8:00 am local time, six of 18 flights had been cancelled at Paris's Orly airport.
French commuters have learned to live with strikes, but some tourists were taken by surprise. One Slovakian tourist was stranded at Orly airport.
"Our flight was cancelled and we didn't know anything about it.
Nobody is here at the Sky Europe desk, so we don't know what to do," said Kristina, who trying to get back to Bratislava.
A passenger from Calais in the north of France said she was taking no risks of missing her holiday in Tunisia.
"Knowing that there were strikes today, we wanted to go on the safe side and came last night to make sure we would get here in time for the flight to leave this evening at 18.20. So we have been here since 15.00 yesterday afternoon and spent the night at the airport. If the flight leaves, then good, if it doesn't then we will have to spend another night at the airport," sad Francoise Puissant.
Union leaders hope large numbers of demonstrators will turn out at the 200 rallies planned across the country for Thursday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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