- Title: FRANCE: PARIS PREPARES FOR 24 HOUR GENERAL STRIKE
- Date: 11th March 1969
- Summary: TRAFFIC JAMS: PARKED BUSES: LE BOURGET AIRPORT: DESERTED RAILWAYS: ELECTRICITY PYLONS: GAS WORKS: METRO STATIONS CLOSED: SHOPS CLOSED: POST-OFFICE CLOSED. Initials SW/VS/JF/SS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th March 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA4LSGMNGJRRZEJUXLSIWOUBWOB
- Story Text: FRANCE WAS YESTERDAY (MONDAY) PREPARING FOR ITS BIGGEST OUTBREAK OF INDUSTRIAL AND SOCIAL UNREST SINCE LAST MAY AND JUNE. THE THREE BIGGEST HAVE CALLED A 24-HOUR GENERAL STRIKE FOR TODAY, AND LAST NIGHT THERE WERE POWER CUTS IN MANY PARTS OF FRANCE.
THE STRIKE HAS BEEN CALLED THROUGHOUT FRANCE BY THE UNIONS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR 12% WAGE CLAIM. TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND EMPLOYERS BROKE DOWN LAST WEEK, AND SINCE THEN FEARS OF THE GOVERNMENT GIVING IN TO UNION PRESSURE ??? WAGES HAVE PUSHED THE PRICE OF GOLD TO RECORD LEVELS. THE FRANC AND THE POUND HAVE BOTH BEEN WEAK.
THE FIRST EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE TOOK PARIS THEATRE AND CINEMA GOERS BY SURPRISE LAST NIGHT, WHEN POWER-CUTS INTERRUPTED SHOWS IN MANY PARTS OF THE CITY. TODAY ELECTRICITY AND GAS CUTS ARE AFFECTING HOMES AND A NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS HAVE CLOSED THEIR SHOPS AND FACTORIES FOR THE DAY BECAUSE OF POWER CUTS.
IN BIG CITIES TRANSPORT HAS BEEN SEVERELY HIT THIS MORNING. BUSES, TRAINS, THE PARIS METRO AND TAXIS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THE ARMY RAN A FREE SHUTTLE-SERVICE WITH LORRIES FOR PARIS COMMUTERS EARLY TODAY. AIR FRANCE EXPECT TO HAVE TO CANCEL MORE THAN HALF THEIR FLIGHTS, BUT FOREIGN AIRLINES ARE CONTINUING FLIGHTS, THOUGH PASSENGERS ARE HAVING TO CARRY THEIR OWN LUGGAGE.
BAKERY WORKERS ARE ON STRIKE, AND THERE WERE LONG QUEUES OUTSIDE THE FEW BAKERS OPEN TODAY IN PARIS. BARBERS ARE CLOSED, BUT POST OFFICES HAVE REMAINED OPEN WORKING WITH SKELETON-STAFF, THOUGH THERE WAS NO POST THIS MORNING.
IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY CLASSES ARE TAKING PLACE.
SOME TEACHERS ARE ON STRIKE, AND STUDENTS HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL THIS AFTERNOON JOIN WORKERS IN PROTEST MARCHES THROUGH THE STREETS OF PARIS.
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