https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The head of France's CGT federation has said that members face legal action related to protests against the country's controversial pension reforms https://www.thelocal.fr/20231206/major-french-union-claims-members-targeted-over-pension-protests Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:50:05 +0100 major-french-union-claims-members-targeted-over-pension-protests France's trade unions are notorious for bringing the country to a standstill, but the country has one of the lowest rate of unionised employees in Europe and the numbers are falling. Here's what you need to know about "les syndicats", including why many workers in France won't join them. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190920/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-trade-unions-in-france Fri, 20 Sep 2019 10:45:13 +0200 five-things-you-need-to-know-about-trade-unions-in-france French workers are renowned for their extreme protests and a group of employees whose jobs are threatened at a factory in central France have proved it once again by destroying equipment and threatening to blow up the plant. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170511/angry-french-workers-booby-trap-factory-and-threaten-to-blow-it-up Thu, 11 May 2017 18:10:02 +0200 angry-french-workers-booby-trap-factory-and-threaten-to-blow-it-up Three former Air France employees on trial for ripping company executives' shirts during a dispute over layoffs were found guilty on Wednesday in a case that highlighted the country's fraught labour relations. https://www.thelocal.fr/20161130/rogues-go-on-trial-for-ripping-shirts-of-french-execs Wed, 30 Nov 2016 13:22:48 +0100 rogues-go-on-trial-for-ripping-shirts-of-french-execs In an open letter to the man attempting to bring France to a standstill, a business owner tells him to stop living in the past and stop 'pissing everyone off.' https://www.thelocal.fr/20160527/france-strikes-cgt-union-martinez-youre-pissing-everyone-off Fri, 27 May 2016 17:32:53 +0200 france-strikes-cgt-union-martinez-youre-pissing-everyone-off Air France said on Thursday it had sacked four employees and started dismissal proceedings against a union representative over chaotic scenes last month when two of its executives had their shirts shredded by angry militants. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151113/air-france-sacks-four-over-violent-protests-shirt-gate-aviation Fri, 13 Nov 2015 08:44:57 +0100 air-france-sacks-four-over-violent-protests-shirt-gate-aviation A union representative working at the Paris Opera House has racked up a €52,000 phone bill after using his cellphone while on holiday to organise a strike. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151029/french-unionist-racks-up-52k-holiday-phone-bill Thu, 29 Oct 2015 17:56:43 +0100 french-unionist-racks-up-52k-holiday-phone-bill Thousands protested across France on Thursday as Air France confirmed it would axe 1,000 workers next year. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151023/thousands-protest-as-air-france Fri, 23 Oct 2015 10:18:20 +0200 thousands-protest-as-air-france While French trade unions have come under fire for blocking labour reforms, boycotting talks, ripping off executives' suits and are generally seen as doing everything possible to prevent change, experts say France would be a lot worse off without them. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151020/french-trade-unions-still-a-force-for-the-good Tue, 20 Oct 2015 17:31:50 +0200 french-trade-unions-still-a-force-for-the-good UPDATED: Six Air France employees were arrested on Monday over the violent scenes that saw executives for the struggling airline have their shirts ripped off as they fled an angry mob. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151012/four-air-france-staff-held-over-stripping-of-execs Mon, 12 Oct 2015 12:00:30 +0200 four-air-france-staff-held-over-stripping-of-execs The stripping of Air France chiefs this week is not the only time French workers have taken extreme action against their bosses in a drastic bid to save jobs. Here's a look at five other incidents that could really only happen in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151006/when-french-workers-take-on-their-bosses Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:46:38 +0200 when-french-workers-take-on-their-bosses Video footage of Air France execs fleeing an angry mob of workers after having their suits and shirts ripped off their backs were beamed around the world on Monday and most agree they will do little to boost the image of France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151006/pics-of-half-naked-air-france-execs-tragic-for-image Tue, 06 Oct 2015 13:25:31 +0200 pics-of-half-naked-air-france-execs-tragic-for-image The burning of tyres, blockading of ports and tipping over of Uber cars by French strikers may have shocked and angered foreign observers, but it’s all just part of the French culture of strikes. And it works, explains a French historian. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150723/mob-rule-is-just-part-of-french-striking-culture Thu, 23 Jul 2015 16:30:07 +0200 mob-rule-is-just-part-of-french-striking-culture French truck drivers on Friday lifted an overnight roadblock of heavy vehicle traffic on the A10 highway that connects Paris with the south-western city of Bordeaux. The truckers staged the action to demand higher minimum pay. https://www.thelocal.fr/20141219/truckers-lift-roadblock-near-paris Fri, 19 Dec 2014 12:29:00 +0100 truckers-lift-roadblock-near-paris Enraged French truck drivers were on Thursday set to start blocking some roads and warehouses near Paris as part of a two-day labour action to demand a higher minimum salary. The blockage is likely to disrupt some last-minute Christmas deliveries. https://www.thelocal.fr/20141218/french-truck-drivers-to-block-paris-roads-over-pay Thu, 18 Dec 2014 15:57:00 +0100 french-truck-drivers-to-block-paris-roads-over-pay French president François Hollande has pledged to stem the rise in unemployment by the end of the year. However, the new forecast from France's national statistics agency (INSEE) suggests his promise cannot be met. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130621/new-forecast-scorns-hollande-plege-to-cut-jobless Fri, 21 Jun 2013 11:24:00 +0200 new-forecast-scorns-hollande-plege-to-cut-jobless A worker at Apple’s flagship Paris store was threatened with being fired for working 20 minutes after his shift ended, it was claimed on Tuesday. It’s the latest in a series of problems that the US computer giant has had with its French branches. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130514/apple-threatens-to-fire-french-employee-for-working-late Tue, 14 May 2013 15:16:00 +0200 apple-threatens-to-fire-french-employee-for-working-late Bus drivers in the crime-stricken city of Marseille have announced on Friday they are to take strike action over restricted working conditions. Their grievance? They don’t like “the quality, the colour or the fit” of their new pants. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130419/bus-marseilles-on-strike-uniforms-unions Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:19:00 +0200 bus-marseilles-on-strike-uniforms-unions France's lower house has adopted controversial labour law reforms that supporters say are crucial to boosting jobs and competitiveness, but opponents have blasted as unfair for workers. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130410/france-reaches-controversial-labour-deal Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:18:00 +0200 france-reaches-controversial-labour-deal In the US Apple might be free to cater to customers' needs 24-hours a day, but a French court has banned the computer giant from forcing French staff to work at night, after falling foul of a long-standing French restriction on working hours. https://www.thelocal.fr/20130313/france-forbids-night-time-hours-for-apple-stores Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:51:00 +0100 france-forbids-night-time-hours-for-apple-stores