Lines bypass Le Havre to avoid anti-privatisation strikes

LARGE SECTIONS of France’s port network were paralysed last week Wednesday, when port workers again protested against the French government’s port privatisation plans. At France's biggest port of Marseilles it was reported that cargo traffic had ground to a halt, when around 1 000 crane-drivers, signals operators and dockers formed a picket line – their complaint: “The port is not for sale", painted on a nearby bridge. Protestors also blocked access to cargo terminals at Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Saint- Nazaire, Le Havre and Rouen. This Wednesday stoppage was immediately followed by France's biggest union, the CGT, saying that French dockworkers would stage 24-hour strikes every week – in what is described as “a major escalation” of protests against government plans to privatise container terminals at the country’s seven publiclyowned ports. The strikes are designed to hit France's two biggest box hubs, Le Havre and Marseilles, and the other five public ports of Dunkirk, Rouen, Nantes-St Nazaire, Bordeaux and Le Rochelle. Industry leaders argue French ports have lost their competitive edge over the past 20 years because of a highlyunionised public work force. The port reform bill, part two of a process started in 1992, is to go before the French parliament next month – and transport minister, Dominique Bussereau, has set an October 31 deadline for the ports to present plans to transfer their cargo terminals to private firms. It is difficult to get a measure on what impact this planned series of strike action is likely to have on SA cargo to and from France. According to Maersk SA MD, David Williams, the SA Europe Container Service (Saecs) did have calls at Le Havre. However, SA cargo from the port had not been impacted by the strikes – as “the terminal we’re calling at has not been affected.” But MSC operations manager, Dave Bertram did sound a word of warning that lines were alert to the possible work stoppages. “We’ve been by-passing Le Havre for the past couple of weeks,” he told FTW. Le port n'est pas à vendre