France - General strike?

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Perfect timing as if to remind us of how the UK used to be back in the 1970's. Their Government wants to rein in on the Unions, the Unions say nope leading to the current pantomime. Of course the French are much more Unionied than what we ever were in the 1970's they still believe in the Brotherhood and looking after the common man.
So how bad is it likely to get in your opinions? will it be all over by mid September? Timing couldn't be better, reminds me that France is one of the stronger EU Members, will the strikes have an impact on our referendum in terms of our wavering voters?

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heebeegeetee said:

crankedup said:

Perfect timing as if to remind us of how the UK used to be back in the 1970's.

Dear god, are you serious? I reckon France in the 1970's was a better place to be that the UK today.

If the UK of the 1970's was anything like France at pretty much any time, I want to be back there.

What I mean is that France has tough Unions, whereas the UK Unions have had their nuts chopped off. I like France, we visit life long friends who have lived in the VAR region for 26 years following departure from good old Blighty.

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ATG said:

They're not trying to rein in the unions, they're tweaking enjoyment law ... the way the 35 hour working week is calculated, holiday entitlement, and how pay can be varied (I think). Union reform would lead protesters to rebuild the Bastille so they could storm it again.

Is there a message here for the UK's exit debate? Only that it demonstrates that the EU has bugger all impact on member's labour law. France is free to have daft labour law, the UK is free to have profoundly different rules. This gives the UK a major competitive advantage in the single market.

Well yes but they have to reign in Union power to be able to introduce new employment laws. The French Unions will simply not roll over and say 'after you'. Yes we have a competitive edge over France but for many UK workers the price of that edge is st employment rules.

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Jockman said:

crankedup said:

Well yes but they have to reign in Union power to be able to introduce new employment laws. The French Unions will simply not roll over and say 'after you'. Yes we have a competitive edge over France but for many UK workers the price of that edge is st employment rules.

What's the unemployment rate en France, mon ami?

Errrrrrm, errrrrrrr, 10% well that's the official number. Mostly youngsters apparently, lazy and don't want to do rotten jobs that immigrants are more than happy to do. All sounds depressingly familiar. Of course it's a Global economy and only the big bosses are winners in this particular race. Next thing we know is kids will be scampering up chimneys.

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Guybrush said:

Another well sorted EU partner, should we remain.

Indeed, the point I was attempting to make, the EU is going to be chocka with basket cases, it's bad enough already. I disregard all mod the bull about how UK money will be ring fenced from bailouts. Work hard in the UK and see your money Wong it's way over to basket cases.

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rdjohn said:

Regarding Derek's point above re BBC coverage, it's worth remembering that it takes 2 years to elect a US President with their Primaries etc. Conversely it takes about 2 mins to elect an EU President as they don't bother asking their electorate.

However, life here in France goes on pretty much as normal. There were issues last weekend regarding fuel, we now have about 80% of stations wth fuel, so while you may have to queue for a while, there really is not a recognisable problem for motorist.

For people travelling on holiday, at no time has there been a shortage of fuel on the Autoroutes. They are a priority, France is quite used to dealing with strikes. TGVs are running, you may have problems on a TER. 16 Nuclear power stations are on strike, so that just leaves the other 75% of Nuclear capacity, plus all the Green measures and a thick cable linking the UK and the rest of Europe.

I do believe that this is France's equivalent of the miners strike in the 70's. Hollande has nothing to lose, he is hated anyway. He called-in the CRS to break the blockade of the refineries, troops can shift the 80-day fuel reserves, if needs be. France is still under a state of emergency from the November attacks, so the Government is holding a strong suit of cards if it really wants to solve labour laws once and for all. The problem for the CGT is that it is summer and their members will want cash in their pockets for their holidays in August.

If you hear that Euro 2016 has been cancelled then start to panic. In the meantime treat the tosh in UK media as a part of another agenda that will end on 24th June.

Honestly !! I have a horrible feeling that you are underestimating the potential. My reading is that the French hold great store in their Working rights and conditions, can't see them bending over.

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Twenty years or so ago Australian wine was making headway into the European consumer market, up until that point the number one wine was French. In the face of rising stiff competition for mass makes wine what did the French do in terms of their business strategy. nothing, sweet nothing, except tell the world that Australian wine was so very inferior to theirs. Arrogance cost them dearly regarding that issue, they dig in with stubborn determination and costly outcomes.
Broadbrush remark of course but so reminds me of the U.K. in the 1960/70/80s.

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Jockman said:

crankedup said:

Twenty years or so ago Australian wine was making headway into the European consumer market, up until that point the number one wine was French. In the face of rising stiff competition for mass makes wine what did the French do in terms of their business strategy. nothing, sweet nothing, except tell the world that Australian wine was so very inferior to theirs. Arrogance cost them dearly regarding that issue, they dig in with stubborn determination and costly outcomes.
Broadbrush remark of course but so reminds me of the U.K. in the 1960/70/80s.

To be fair, mon ami, their wine is >still< the best in the world. I opened a bottle of 2000 Chateau Cabrieres Prestige on Wednesday night just to remind myself. In great shape but a wee bit of sediment.

Ah yes Chateau Cabrieres Prestige, I recall that peppery red berried vanilla, smoke and herbal characteristics. Blending beautifully with the full bodied, soft, round, black raspberry and cherry filled personality. Truly wonderful and at £40 or so a bottle, sensational.

I take your point completely, although I was meaning the mass market end at £6 -- £15 a bottle, again the Aussies have since lost their way somewhat.

To be clear, I lifted the info' tasting notes from the aforementioned wine, never tried it myself . But severely now tempted.

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el stovey said:

Jockman said:

To be fair, mon ami, their wine is >still< the best in the world. I opened a bottle of 2000 Chateau Cabrieres Prestige on Wednesday night just to remind myself. In great shape but a wee bit of sediment.

Is that white wine? I really like that shardony stuff. You can even get it in boxes with a tap thing.

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This talk of wine, wife was away so I thought try one of these Marks and Sparks meal for two for a tenner. Bottle of red wine included and a sweet for a tenner!! The food was alright but the red wine, wasn't. expecting very much at all and for a tenner for the whole sheebang who could. Opened the wine and took a sniff, I swear to the good Lord it must have burnt the hairs from out of my nose. Holy Mother. it should carry a health warning

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Jockman said:

crankedup said:

Ah yes Chateau Cabrieres Prestige, I recall that peppery red berried vanilla, smoke and herbal characteristics. Blending beautifully with the full bodied, soft, round, black raspberry and cherry filled personality. Truly wonderful and at £40 or so a bottle, sensational.

I take your point completely, although I was meaning the mass market end at £6 -- £15 a bottle, again the Aussies have since lost their way somewhat.

To be clear, I lifted the info' tasting notes from the aforementioned wine, never tried it myself . But severely now tempted.

Hell, it's Friday, you've had a hard week winding everyone up, HIGNFY is on tonight (hosted by Katherine Ryan), so is Gogglebox......go for it !!

Yup, and my wife is away again, won't be paying a visit to M&S though.

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Murph7355 said:

FredClogs said:

Here's the world productivity rankings by country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by...

You'll see that in 2013 (latest figure maybe?) France was almost 20% more productive than the UK, that's GDP per hour worked.

I think they'd be quite right to suppose there isn't much wrong with their employment laws etc... Maybe we should be doing more of what they're doing?

And yet they're doing roughly 20% worse than us on GDP per capita, 18% worse on overall GDP and our overall rate of GDP growth is more than twice theirs. (Using the same sources as yours).

Maybe they ought to be working a few more hours and hopefully their productivity rate can be maintained at the same time

Yup, this is the answer, join the European rat race, the only way is work harder, longer and for less pay. Fat cat bosses are laughing though.

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Murph7355 said:

crankedup said:

Yup, this is the answer, join the European rat race, the only way is work harder, longer and for less pay. Fat cat bosses are laughing though.

It's a global rat race.

One can always opt out on an individual basis. Just don't bleat and moan that others then have more than you do (e.g. "fat cat bosses")

Strong argument, not. What I write is the truth, your assertion that I, on a personal level, am bleating simply shows how shallow and weak minded you are in evaluating the current situation. TBH I have no financial worries aside my Grandson and his future.
I am very hopeful that we, the U.K. will opt out. Now go away and come up with comments that are substantive and have at least some element of intelligence.

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Murph7355 said:

crankedup said:

Strong argument, not. What I write is the truth, your assertion that I, on a personal level, am bleating simply shows how shallow and weak minded you are in evaluating the current situation. TBH I have no financial worries aside my Grandson and his future.
I am very hopeful that we, the U.K. will opt out. Now go away and come up with comments that are substantive and have at least some element of intelligence.

If I'd meant you personally, I'd have said "you"

The original reply you picked up on was in response to a notion that the French employment laws might be in some way superior to those of others because their productivity per hour is better than hours. I was suggesting that perhaps that metric isn't necessarily the best one in determining a nation's well being or even that its employment laws are helpful.

The rat race you cite is one you have benefitted from (it seems). It's no use telling everyone else it's not the right way now that you can sit on your arse in your "I'm all right jack" chair. I suspect your grandkids won't be able to ignore the rat race if they are also to prosper - kids in this country are likely to have to work much harder for similar rewards and comforts owing to prior generations having utterly unrealistic expectations.

Care to add some more of your intelligence to that debate? Or would you just like to get pissy all over again? I mean, I didn't even suggest Bury St Edmunds was a st hole and you get all uppity - have you been suffering from gout lately? Not getting enough sleep?

Good to know you follow me.
I am now entitled to sit on my arse, as you put it. Did I suggest the French employment laws are superior to the U,K. Nope that what you have conjured up in your mind.
I'm all right jack, your accusation ignores severe hardship and long hours put in to survive and finally prosper. That is what PH is isn't it!
Was I a rat in the rat race? we all are / were, except those at the very top, to which I referred. These fortunate few prosper on the backs of the rats.
I have advocated for years that working people can have a strength in Unions, but this has met with derision.Your choice.

In 1972 When I got married we used old jam jars to save each monthly payment for mortgage, electric, gas, we didn't call them utilities back then, we had,about three Bob left over and trying to start a business. Don't assume that I have had an easy life, I was also a rat along with my new wife. How lucky we were

I am disappointed at your lack of substantive comment and your apparent disapproval of past success from a retired businessman.