FRANCE: FRENCH TRUCKERS AND FARMERS BEGIN TO LIFT BLOCKADES AGAINST FUEL DELIVERIES AFTER APPEALS FROM THEIR UNION REPRESENTATIVES
Record ID:
649249
FRANCE: FRENCH TRUCKERS AND FARMERS BEGIN TO LIFT BLOCKADES AGAINST FUEL DELIVERIES AFTER APPEALS FROM THEIR UNION REPRESENTATIVES
- Title: FRANCE: FRENCH TRUCKERS AND FARMERS BEGIN TO LIFT BLOCKADES AGAINST FUEL DELIVERIES AFTER APPEALS FROM THEIR UNION REPRESENTATIVES
- Date: 9th September 2000
- Summary: DUNKIRK, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 9 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MV: UNOSTRA TRUCK DRIVERS DRIVING VEHICLES FROM BARRICADES 0.09 2. SV: POLICE WATCHING AS TRUCKS DEPART 0.16 3. SV: TRUCKS DEPARTING 0.35 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNOSTRA MEMBER PATRICK GASQUERES: "Today we are not going to remain a week longer because our union chiefs are unable to have more discussion with Jospin (the government). We will lift the blockade in the knowledge that from now until the end of the year it is obvious we - as truckers - will have big problems" 0.55 5. PAN: PROTESTERS REMAINING AT BLOCKADE 1.06 6. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMBULANCE WORKER MARCEL DURU: "At the moment we - as ambulance workers - will remain in place because we have no news from our national representatives - who are at the moment - or were this morning in the process of discussing (our situation). But if we do not get what we want the profession will organise itself in such a way that we only deal with emergencies - no consultations, no transfers (pick ups) - only emergencies". 1.31 7. PAN: AMBULANCE WORKERS AT BLOCKADE 1.44 NANGIS, FRANCE, ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF PARIS (SEPTEMBER 9, 2000) (RTN - ACCESS ALL) 8. GV: GRANDPUITS REFINERY 1.59 9. MV: PROTESTERS' BANNERS ON ROADSIDE 2.08 10. MV: TRACTORS BLOCKING REFINERY 2.12 11. SCU: SIGNS DENOUNCING TAX RISE 2.20 12. SLV: TRUCKS, TRACTORS AND AMBULANCES BLOCKING ENTRANCE OF GRANDPUITS REFINERY 2.25 13. VARIOUS VIEWS OF PROTESTERS IN DISCUSSION WITH LOCAL UNION REPRESENTATIVES (5 SHOTS) 2.59 14. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) FARMER BRUNO SCIALOM SPEAKING: "Its pathetic. If I were (FNSEA leader Luc) Guyau, I would be ashamed. They said we were going to gain 10 to 13 percent on the diesel tax, but the price of our crops has dropped 10 percent in the last year. He's not doing his job properly. If he can't convince a government minister of anything, I say he should quit. A union boss can only negotiate if he's got his members backing him. But thats not the case. We're going to stay where we are and he'll take the consequences of his actions." 3.44 15. VARIOUS PROTESTERS LISTENING TO UNION REPRESENTATIVE JEAN LOUIS BESSUARD SPEAKING 3.50 16. SCU: (SOUNDBITE (French) JEAN LOUIS BESSUARD SPEAKING: 'We don't agree with the statements by the union leaders in Paris, so we're trying to find a solution that will keep the peace for the farmers and for the rest of society. For the moment we're reflecting on the situation and well see later what we're going to do. For now we're staying put until we agree with the other protesters to leave. The road haulage companies, ambulance drivers and builders are all here and a decision will be made later'. 4.37 17. SV: TRUCKER MAKING CALL ON PORTABLE PHONE 4.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 24th September 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DUNKIRK AND NANGIS (ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF PARIS), FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA8ZKECSYFGFPA2B2LTOQOAYBPD
- Story Text: French truckers and farmers have began lifting their
blockades after appeals from their union representatives to
end protests that have choked fuel supplies across the
country.
But some protesters continue to man the barricades in a bid to
win concessions from their government on the price of diesel.
A growing number of protesters appeared to be heeding
the call from their negotiators to lift barricades on Saturday
(September 9), although some militants were continuing to
block traffic and fuel deliveries.
At Dunkirk truckers aligned to union Unostra began to move
off from their blockade bading farewell to ambulance workers
and farmers who had elected to stay.
UNOSTRA member Patrick Gasqueres said: "Today we are not
going to remain a week longer because our union chiefs are
unable to have more discussion with (France's OPrime Minister
Lionel) Jospin (the government). We will lift the blockade in
the knowledge that from now until the end of the year it is
obvious we - as truckers - will have big problems"
Ambulance worker Marcel Duru said: "At the moment we -
as ambulance workers - will remain in place because we have no
news from our national representatives - who are at the moment
- or were this morning in the process of discussing (our
situation). But if we do not get what we want the profession
will organise itself in such a way that we only deal with
emergencies - no consultations, no transfers (pick ups) - only
emergencies".
French truckers group Unostra, which represents small
haulage firms, reversed its hardline stance on Saturday and
joined the larger National Road Hauliers Federation (FNTR) in
calling for an end to blockades of oil refineries and depots.
Earlier in the day, French agricultural unions urged
members to end their tax protest.
Both the main FNSEA union and the young farmers' group
CNJA announced they had made enough progress in late-night
talks with Agriculture Minister Jean Glavany to call off the
six-day protest.
The Socialist-led government promised the FNSEA farmers
union early this morning a 460 million franc aid package for
farmers to compensate for the rise in diesel
taxes in August.
Local union representatives went to discuss the agreement
with militant farmers blockading the Grandpuits refinery some
50 miles south of Paris. But the farmers, backed by
trucking firms and ambulance drivers, refused to end their
five-day protest and the local union represntatives were
forced to take their side.
One farmer Bruno Scialom said: "Its pathetic. If I were
(FNSEA leader Luc) Guyau, I would be ashamed. They said we
were going to gain 10 to 13 percent on the diesel tax, but the
price of our crops has dropped 10 percent in the last year.
He's not doing his job properly.
If he can't convince a government minister of anything, I say
he should quit. A union boss can only negotiate if he's got
his members backing him. But thats not the case. We're
going to stay where we are and he'll take the consequences of
his actions.
Another farmer, Jean Louis Bessuard, said: 'We don't
agree with the statements by the union leaders in Paris, so
we're trying to find a solution that will keep the peace for
the farmers and for the rest of society. For the moment we're
reflecting on the situation and we'll see later what we're
going to do. For now we're staying put until we agree with the
other protesters to leave. The road haulage companies,
ambulance drivers and builders are all here and a decision
will be made later'.
The protesters have been pressing the government for a 20
percent cut in diesel fuel taxes. Jospin insists he cannot
concede more than 15 percent.
Ministers from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting
Countries meet on Sunday (September 10) in Vienna, under
pressure from both the United States and the Europeans to
boost output and reduce prices, which are currently well above
$30 a barrel -- three times their price of just over a year
ago.
The protests, which started in France on Monday (September
4), have since spread to other European countries.
In Britain on Saturday, two men were arrested and a fuel
tanker was damaged as British truckers angered by the high
fuel prices continued protests outside several oil depots.
On Saturday morning, the French Interior Ministry
reported that 25 blockades of refineries and depots had been
lifted, but that 97 were being maintained.
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