News / Business calls for end to French port strikes, but unions plan more

Le Havre © Stefan Rotter

French industry body the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) is demanding a swift end to the strikes at the country’s ports, which yesterday saw a one-day stoppage with a further 24-hour walkout set for today.

However, the appeal has fallen on deaf ears. Following a spate of stoppages this month, unions have announced an intensive programme of industrial action for March.

A 72-hour strike is planned between 18-20 March, four-hour walkouts on 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 24, 26 and 28 March, and overtime work and one-off shifts will also be affected.

The dockers are protesting against reform of the state pension scheme, in particular the increase in the retirement age, and are demanding recognition of “the arduous nature” of their profession.

While French prime minister François Bayrou has agreed to review the pension issue, there is no indication that he is ready to offer port workers any concessions to end the dispute.

The MEDEF, which represents more than 200,000 businesses in France, said the strikes were “seriously disrupting the supply chain and having a profound impact on the national economy”.

It added: “They result in significant extra costs and delays, threatening the competitiveness of businesses and thousands of jobs in the sector.”

The business confederation estimates that, as a result of the stoppages, members’ transport costs have increased by 23% and a loss of around 25% in sales is expected this month.

It wants “the rapid creation of a public-private coordination unit, bringing together all the relevant authorities and administrations, as well as the national federations of the players concerned, in order to find solutions to limit the impact of the strikes and guarantee the resumption of activities as soon as possible”.

This year, French ports, in particular Le Havre and Marseille-Fos, have experienced four-hour work stoppages almost every two working days, according to a spokesperson at one forwarder which has offices in both the country’s biggest box ports.

“Tensions in the shipping market are high at a time when traffic is heavy following the Chinese New Year holiday, and when other strikes are affecting [the ports of] Antwerp and Rotterdam,” said a spokesperson.

At Marseille-Fos, one local company source claimed the stoppages had left the transport and ocean shipping community “stuck in the middle of it all”, and some “are dying a slow death”.