The funny side of French strikes

 

The great French strike of 2007 seems to be turning into a struggle between the union bosses and the transport workers who do not want to heed their call to go back to work.

Commuting was la galère (misery) again today as much of the national train services and the Paris transport system were at a standstill for the second day despite a compromise that has deflated their cause. The leaders of the big CGT and CFDT unions settled the outline of negotiations with President Sarkozy's government yesterday, but the strikers seem hell-bent on keeping their early retirement, however unpopular or unrealistic it may be.

Workers' meeetings have just voted a third day's stoppage for tomorrow. You could feel the tension on radio and TV this morning as the radicals of the railway and Paris transport unions voiced their defiance despite what they see as betrayal by Bernard Thibault, the CGT leader, and François Cherèque of the CFDT. The national union chiefs want to save their face and credibility for resisting the next, broader, phase of the Sarko revolution next year, when the president tries to rewrite the labour laws.

So the ordeal continues, at least into the weekend. The Opéra and Comédie Française, the two most prestigious theatres, are also staying out. They are state workers too. Here is how Pascal, a technician, explained his miserable life on France Inter radio this morning. "I have been a machine operator at the Opera for 22 years. That's 20 tonnes of scenery a year, with slipped discs, anti-social hours and completely messed up home life. .. Now they are telling me 'No you can't retire at 55 any more. You have to work to 60 and even if you're broken (casse), too bad, you'll retire broken."

Poor guy. At least the strikes are letting France indulge in black humour. Look at this video. It's a send-up of the strike-happy SNCF state railways set to the tune of YMCA, the Village People's old hit. Get past the slow intro about three-month train delays and the lyrics are fun.

SNCF, we have no competition, we are the kings of France. With our outrageous strikes, we'll spoil your holidays. The SNCF is always right, never makes concessions. We take you for fools... For us it's the grand slam. No half-measure. 

Sncf

[Full French lyrics below]

La semaine, on touche un bon salaire

Et aussi le WE on n’a pas à s’en faire

Pour nous pas de problème

Assimilés fonctionnaires

Dès que l’on est titulaires

Etrennes, primes et augmentations

Le mois 13^e gonfle au fil des saisons

Pour nous sans gêne

Avantages en nature

Alors tout le monde en voiture

On n’a pas de concurrence

SNCF

On est les rois de

la France

SNCF

Par nos grèves à outrance

On vous gâche vos vacances

T’avais qu’à prendre l’avion, pas d’chance

On pose nos conditions

SNCF

On a toujours raison

SNCF

On fait pas de concession

On vous prend pour des cons

La revendication c’est bon

Problème, le service minimum

La retraite idem, elle est au maximum

Pour nous c’est grand chelem

Pas de demi mesure

On se joue de la conjoncture

Emblème de tout le service public

A fond dans le système

Nos grèves deviennent chroniques

Toujours le même thème

A

la SNCF

Car nous on en fait pas bezef

Comments

[ms marple]

wonderful clip - should be on grand écran at every métro and entrée de gare voie ferré et routière! (but then I don't live in Paris!)

[rocket]

SNCF - A nous de vous faire préférer l'avion.

For example Air France, who had no trouble couple of weeks ago screwing over people's vacations.

Seems like "l'usager" in France can run but they can't hide. At every corner there is a trap. Egotism runs deep, very very deep.

[Daniel Strohl]

"Workers' meeetings have just voted a third day's stoppage for tomorrow" (CB).

And probably as usual, with the well known and highly democratic procedure : le vote à main levée ("vote with raised hand").

Everytime I see that, it reminds me of two past European dictatures : Hitler and Staline ...

[Guillaume]

Such a good clip :)
The head moves while the basis is still "resisting" and us we're always in the s..
I don't understand why the French Governement is not in search of a new corporation to exploit the french railway so that we could go to work.

[Dominique]

D.Strohl,

Hitler, Staline....no kidding!

Bernard Thibaut : the first great dictator of the 21st century.

Nickname in the resistance : "Nanar les grandes zoreilles"

Brrrr, i am so scared, i'll have to think of moving to a free country before they catch me : a country with no train! i hesitate between Tahiti and Afganistan.

D.Strohl : do you need a place to hide? i'll help you i promess...

[Edward Johns]

As regards the poor chap who doesn't like his job moving scenery, is the notion of changing jobs too far-fetched in France?

[Dominique]

I had to take velib today...brrrr it was so cold!

i also had to put my gloves, my bonnet and my écharpe!

Good english lesson for the kids!

repeat after me,

My gloves,
my hat,
my scarf!

[Dominique]

Ed Johns,

The myth of enjoying to work for little money and bad conditions is too far-fetched in france.

[John Styx]

Edward, I work in HR in France. In my experience, there are basically two kinds of French workers. Many managers, engineers and qualified workers have no problems changing jobs. They're confident in their skills and experience. They know what they're worth. If they're not happy in their job, they'll just quit.

On the other hand, a lot of French people are dead afraid to lose their jobs. Not every blue-collar gets some training at work on a regular basis. They are still a lot of unqualified workers who dropped out of school at age 16. Getting back to school is virtually impossible (France is not very keen as a whole on giving people a second chance). Older people (ie after 45 years old) find it very difficult to get a new job. Relocating is seldom considered, because of the house loan, the spouse's job, the kids' school and so on. What they tell me during annual review is appalling. They're constantly afraid of being outsourced, offshored and downsized by short-noticed top-managers who can't even tell a screw from a nail (they're not so seldom right). They count on the French labour law, no on themselves, to protect them from unemployment. It's very sad.

[Maggie G]

"As regards the poor chap who doesn't like his job moving scenery, is the notion of changing jobs too far-fetched in France?"

Same thing on the radio today. This excited guy was saying, "Would you REALLY want to travel in trains driven by sixty-year-olds?"

The interviewer said that when they get to a certain age, the drivers can sell tickets at the ticket counter -- they don't have to keep driving trains till the day they retire.

This idea didn't seem to have occurred to the first guy.

[Juliette]

Just one thing: no matter how much French people like to criticize the SNCF, as soon as they go abroad and test the trains elsewhere, they realise they're quite lucky.
Maybe the traumatized user should try British trains? or Italian? or about any other one, for that matter...

[Dom]

Maggie : I don't think that's going to work. Imagine being at the top of your job, a TGV driver, then retrograding right down to the bottom. Come on, there' already a 75% chance of getting a grumpy ticket seller...
And hey, I have no trouble with being driven by a 60 y.o. !

[Marguerite.]

Il est drole ce clip "SNCF" !

Il y a quelques annees, les "usagers" ne ralaient pas autant quand il y avait des greves ,en France.Il y avait meme une sympathie pour les grevistes et les manifestants. Il y avait une entraide et une atmosphere presque festive dans les rues.
On est devenu plus serieux . Peut-etre qu'on a plus peur.

[Daniel Strohl]

Juliette,

"or about any other one, for that matter..."

or German ?

[Daniel Strohl]

Dominique,

"Hitler, Staline....no kidding!

Ok, Dominique, I know that I tend to exaggerate sometimes (C'est mon côté méridional ...). But I am really allergic to raised hands, and even more when it is at the "université".
Apparemment, z'ont jamais entendu causer des moutons de Panurge, ces canards là ... (j'imite le style farceur de mon beau père, qui avait beaucoup d'humour et qui avait passé une partie de sa jeunesse à Paris).

PS : thanks for your offer (a place to hide) - c'est pas mon genre!

However, if you intend some day to come to our region, please let me know. I would be pleased to meet you (we have always some good bottles on stock).

[Daniel Strohl]

Maggie C,

"the drivers can sell tickets at the ticket counter"

They can also continue to work as engine drivers in foreign railway companies, hired by a recruitment office located in the Isle of Man, and get handsome tax free salaries in addition to their pensions duly paid by our SNCF. This actually happened some months ago, if one believes some (of course misinformed) press reports.

[christopher muir]

Can't disagree with Juliette - the French railway system (when working) is brilliant. However, if the selfish unionists don't pull back soon, the effects on the economy will be noticeable. This is crazy behaviour at a time when the world economic outlook is uncertain. The rail services could eventually end up with timetables being reduced to cut costs with no benefit to today's strikers.

[David Hill]

Retired SNCF drivers were recruited to drive the Japanese Shinkansen Bullet trains now running in Taiwan. No problems there. If you think driving a train - with many safety systems to protect against human error - at 60 is dangerous, we will have to ban anyone over 50 driving a car!

On the basis of HR(H)Dominique's remarks un genre d'Open Université français might well be in order.
I have worked with the Brit OU all over Europe and a French mimic could well work the wonders they do. The Dutch have an excellent equivalent as do the Danes and Swedes. A good and relatively cheap way to make the best of the resources that France has.

[rocket]

Christoper

"However, if the selfish unionists don't pull back soon, the effects on the economy will be noticeable."

Are you implying that the strikers care about the effects on the economy? To do so would be unfamiliar with French unionist thinking.

The best thing to do to stop this strike and get to the negotiating table would be to pull all of the strike days off the paycheck at one time rather than the soft and cuddly "échelonnement" over several months as is now practised. That way these people would have a taste of their own medicine.

It's time to start cracking down here.

Dominique

You are absolutely right. The word "hostage" has become totally devoid of all meaning. It has been used so often that it has no more meaning other than a cliché. I get sick when I hear this word used.

Why doesn't Le Monde for example declare on it's headlines that

NOUS SOMME TOUS DES USAGERS!

[Ros]

Juliette
"or about any other one, for that matter..." - nothing wrong with the Swiss trains either - as for the SNCF when they are working normally = almost perfect!

[SW7]

On the whole, I think French people are usually well prepared for such unexpected strikes. At least that’s how I see it on the other side of the Channel.

As a Londoner, I am always horrified at how chaotic and dismal things can get in the UK when workers go on strike (whether it be justified or not, ce n’est pas la question). This actually happened a couple of months ago and the whole of London came to a standstill. Disgruntled Londoners may be quieter than Parisians, but they are certainly less resourceful =]

At least some positive can come out of adversity.

[Isobel]

SW7 says "I think French people are usually well prepared for such unexpected strikes. At least that’s how I see it on the other side of the Channel.
As a Londoner, I am always horrified at how chaotic and dismal things can get in the UK when workers go on strike"
As someone wtih experience of transport strikes in London and Paris the main difference is that Paris is tiny compared to London.Those people who you see cycling on velibs or roller skating near the Eiffel Tower have probably covered the equivalent distance of Camden Town to Kings Cross.If you live and work within the 20 arrondisements of Paris you can probably get to work and back without too many problems.The problems are far more acute for those who live in the suburbs but a lot of the media coverage seems to ignore them.

[Valentin]

"as for the SNCF when they are working normally = almost perfect!"

Yes, and as a conclusive example, we can go ask the opinion of the "usagers" of the RER lines D,E, or those of RER line A Cergy/Poissy (ie, half the banlieue express railways).
They can tell you stories about SNCF's quality of service...

[christopher muir]

Rocket -

If French unionists are ignorant of the potential for adverse economic impacts by their actions, then the government should explain the associated hazards to all and sundry. I suspect that Australians are amongst the best-informed populations when it comes to present- day economics. Perhaps it's because of the country's increasingly close trading ties with mighty China. The result has been a massive diminution in strikes since the late eighties. The general population also owns shares through compulsory superannuation contributions. It seems to be generally understood that strikes can affect the all-important nest-egg balance sheet.

[Sam Young]

Just to slide in a little culture here, i would like to quote Victor Hugo: "Il n'est rien au monde d'aussi puissant qu'une idée dont l'heure est venue."
At last the tide has turned against those trade union fascists. Doesn't matter what is said or not. Their cause is a lost one.

[Lily]

Victor Hugo: "Il n'est rien au monde d'aussi puissant qu'une idée dont l'heure est venue."
(quoted by Sam Young)

!!!!!

And the one who foresees and senses that hour will be equipped with almost the same power!

[Helen]

My father and my uncle were both masters in the French merchant navy ('capitaines au long cours') they retired at 60 because it was mandatory, and wouldn't have retired a day sooner: they loved their jobs!
My uncle commanded tankers (i.e. he couldn't get much sleep during his 4-month shifts, and he often had adrenaline rushes) and my father worked as a pilot for about 10 years before he retired. During the nasty storm at Christmas 1974 he was on call at home, and the pilot station called him because one of the ships due to dock at the harbour was a massive tanker, and they wanted the most experienced pilot in the station to get her in (or take her to a waiting zone well out of harm's way, if conditions were too bad). My father did have trouble getting on board, and once safe in the wheelhouse he decided with the master to wait till the storm would abate (nearly 2 days!)
My father was 53 at the time. His grip and his arms were still strong enough for him to hoist himself on board the ships, he wore glasses but his eyesight was still good enough, and yes, he did need to wear a hearing aid (during one of his voyages towards SE Asia, a not so gifted Asiatic doctor permanently damaged one of his ears), but he could do his job, and do it well!!!
My hero is Ernst Mayr, who worked till he turned 100 or so. That's a fulfilled life!

[Isobel]

Helen , I don't know where you live, but Buster Martin is quite famous in the UK -he's still working at 100.This is from the BBC news site (interestingly he was born in France!)

100-year-old told 'take day off'

A man has turned up for work despite being told to take the day off for his 100th birthday.
Buster Martin began cleaning vans for Pimlico Plumbers despite retiring as a market worker three years ago.

Colleagues at the firm in Lambeth, south London, threw him a surprise party and were treating him to a tour of Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge ground.

Mr Martin said the last time he had a party he was in the desert "getting as drunk as a Lord when I was 21".

He said the secret of his longevity could be due to a pint of bitter every day and daily press ups.

If you're active it saves you sitting in a wheelchair

The centenarian was born in France, but came to England as a baby and grew up in an orphanage in Cornwall until 1916.

Moving to London he got his first job helping stall holders on Brixton market before joining the Army at 15 and served a total of 35 years before joining the Navy.

After taking up a wide range of trades, he finally went full circle and was working at Brixton market until he retired aged 97.

Mr Martin, who married in 1920 and had 17 children with his wife, said he took up working again because he became bored.

"Working keeps me active, that's the main thing. If you're active it saves you sitting in a wheelchair," he said.

Talking about how the world had changed in 100 years he said: "It's a bit too fast... I've never owned a telephone and I never will."

Charlie Mullins, of Pimlico Plumbers, said: "Buster's a lot of fun, he's quite a character who's got a million stories."

[Daniel Strohl]

Christopher,

"I suspect that Australians are amongst the best-informed populations when it comes to present-day economics".

You are a lucky man and I envy you. I am quite sure that the French are amongst the ill-informest populations when it comes to present-day economics.

There are several reasons for that. First of all, we have about 25 percent civil servants (or similar categories) who are hundert percent sure to get their pay check at every month end, whether the economic situation is good or not, and who can not be laid off, even if they are too numerous.

Therefore, they are not even able to imagine than in small or smaller private companies, craftsmen etc. (which provide now most of the jobs in the industry), it can be a very serious and recurrent problem for the bosses to pay salaries and associated taxes (which are huge) on time. Often, the banks have to help, of course not free of charge ...

In many cases, the difference between gain or loss is very slim. And a strike lasting several days may be sufficient to have very serious consequences not only for the bosses of these companies, but for their employees as well. But of course, this is not the problem of the unions.

Secondly, some of the unions, including a big part of their members are hard core and fanatical leftists whose model is still Karl Marx (even if they do no more use the name ...) and whose ennemies are the « capitalists ». Their economic creed regarding financing of social advantages is simple : take the money where it is (i.e in the pockets of the « capitalist s.») through very high taxes, and nationalize the means of production. Both have been made in the past, of course with limited economic success, to say the least. But many people are still dreaming of « le grand soir » (i.e « the big evening preceding the revolution ») and of « les capitalistes à la lanterne » (« hang the capitalists at the lanterns ». May be I exaggerate a little bit ...

Thirdly, the various governments of the past hold also their part of responsibility – when there were big problems, the standard procedure was to organize a devaluation to increase exports, instead of tightening the belt(s). Due to European rules, this became fortunately impossible. But it is (or at least was) still a tentation to find scapegoats for our miseries outside, i.e the gnomes of Bruxelles, if I may paraphrase the late Mr.Wilson. And up to now, not many governments (if any) have really bothered to give thorough but understandable economic explanations to the voters in any consistent and patient manner.

Last but not least, one should also mention our education system, which is partly in a bad shape. Teachers are struggling to get their pupils acquire the basic skills. Basic notions in economy may not be a priority in their minds and in the programs – I don't know. And when the teenagers arrive at the university with their « baccalauréat en poche », their militant co-students try to brain wash them (if needed – some of them are already « ripe »).

Now, it is up to the real students to kick the ass of the troublemakers and dispatch them to North Korea or Cuba ! But of course, they will not accept – life in France (even in capitalist France) is not soooo bad after all ...

[qwerty]

If I can be forgiven for plagiarism - I stole this from another blog. If it's correct, it seems to say it all about the privileges of those currently in the streets :

Commentaire mr Cabannes sur le montant moyen de la retraite à la sncf.
Ce dernier a affirmé qu'il était de 1200€.
Ca semble faux:
http://forum.olweb.fr/showthread.php?p=3027725

1) Durée cotisations :

SNCF 37,5
RATP 37,5
EDF/GDF 37,5
PUBLIC 40
PRIVE 40

2) Age départ retraite :

SNCF 50,3 ou 55,1 (roulants et non roulants)
RATP 54,8
EDF/GDF 55,4
PUBLIC 57,6
PRIVE 61,3

3) Age moyen du décès

SNCF 81,8
RATP 79,3
EDF/GDF 78,8
PUBLIC 81,7
PRIVE 80,4

4) Base calcul

SNCF 6 derniers mois
RATP 6 derniers mois
EDF/GDF 1 dernier mois
PUBLIC 6 derniers mois
PRIVE 25 dernières années

5) Retraite moyenne

SNCF 1683 Euros
RATP 2136 Euros
EDF/GDF 2035 Euros
PUBLIC 1808 Euros
PRIVE 827 (non cadres) ou 1429(cadres) Euros

Donc en moyenne un retraité SNCF lambda va toucher 15% de plus de retraite qu'un cadre du privé. Et ce pendant 30 ans alors qu'un cadre la touchera pendant 19 ans.

[Daniel Strohl]

Qwerty,

Interesting indeed.

[Daniel Strohl]

Helen,

Re : merchant navy

Very interesting what you said regarding your father and your uncle. It recalls me « mes jeunes années ».

At that time, I lived in a small Alsatian town and my idea was to get out of it as soon as possible and to travel. Since I had a bad eyesight, not correctible by glasses, aviation (which would have been my first choice) was excluded. Merchant navy also, since a good eyesight is a prerequisite there too – with one exception – the requirements for radio officers (« sparks » in Anglo-Saxon nautical slang) were less stringent. Therefore, after my « bac », I went to Paris in a private school where I managed to get the required state diploma from the PTT and then the Merchant Navy Ministry (OR 1ère classe). The exam was rather selective in the 1.st class ( 2.nd and 3.rd class were much easier). The level was may be equivalent to an IUT, but of course without the spelling and grammar errors quite common nowadays with many of our distinguished bac + 2 , bac + 3 and so on ...

My first « embarquement » was on a trawler – 3 months, which were sufficient to pay for the last part of the studies in Paris. The second was a small coaster tanker (Octane, Cie Navale des Pétroles) , and the third a big tanker (M/T Zubaïr, Cdt Henry Taillade – same company). This was in 1957.

At that time, the Suez Canal was closed to navigation, due to the « Affaire de Suez »; therefore we had a long travel to do to the Persian Gulf around South Africa (Good Hope Cape) and back. Our tanker was not especially fast and furthermore, we had recurring engine problems. When we arrived back in France, after almost 4 months, the « Capitaine d'Armement » (I remember the name of this sympathetic gentleman) asked me to make a second trip to the Gulf, since the company had no available replacement for me. It was a problem for me (family), nevertheless I accepted – it was not easy.

The second trip to the Gulf was similar to the first. However, two major events occured during the return trip :
- on the 21.September 1957, I picked up a distress call (SOS on 500 kHz – Morse telegraphy) from the German sailing cargo ship PAMIR. The signal was faint, due to the distance, but nevertheless audible. I informed immediately the captain and we acknowledged receipt of the SOS. A few other ships did the same. However, we were much too far away to be of any possible help. The PAMIR, which was caught in a heavy storm, capsized and was lost – there were only 6 survivors out of a crew (and merchant navy cadets) of over 80; they were rescued by an American Coast Guard ship.
- on Oct. 4.th 1957, I picked up the signal of the « Sputnik » transmitted on 20.0 MHz. It was loud and clear, but very monotonous, with no obvious meaning or information contents. I discovered only a few months ago through a documentary that it had in fact no contents at all, since the Soviets did not manage to complete in time the measuring and telemetry equipment which should have been fitted inside the Sputnik. The main aim was to be faster than the Americans – this worked, to the great dismay of the latter ...

- to my « dismay », the Soviets with their launching date did miss my anniversary, which was a day later ! Seriously now : at that time, very few people (and definitely not me) were able to imagine the future consequences and applications of the event : telecomm, GPS and military uses, which were of course the driving force ...

In 1965, after various travels on cargo ships and one passenger ship, I left the merchant navy, en route pour d'autres aventures – but this is another story ...

It was in interesting experience; I would recommend to young people, whenever possible, to travel and to work in foreign countries prior to settling back home. This opens and broadens the mind - one can not always expect the latter from our school system and from our society as it is.

[rocket]

Daniel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamir_(ship)

Also could you tell me where you learnt to speak English so well.

[Daniel Strohl]

Rocket,

Prior to writing my post (PAMIR), I had a look at Wikipedia - in fact exactly your link.

Regarding my English, I learned it "au collège puis au lycée", after that a little bit in the technical school I mentioned above. That was all regarding language studies. However, I used English in the merchant navy, but only occasionally - mostly with pilots, ship chandlers, customs, and also with various other persons with less official functions ...

During the rest of my professional life, I used English mostly in writing (numerous business and technical letters) - I did spend only two work weeks in the US and a few days in the UK. Therefore, I am better in writing than in speaking (speaking is about ok, but I have got hearing problems, which annoy me even in French).

I speak also German - when one speaks both German and French, it is not too difficult to learn English - of course, up to a given level. Writing an elegant English with always the right word at the right place is not so easy either. But to achieve the same level in French is more difficult (complex grammar and spelling); this is the case also in German (syntax difficulties in long sentences, which are not so uncommon in German ...).

Thanks for your compliment.

PS : I learned much on Charles' blog; I didn't have the opportunity to practice English since more than 10 years. Therefore, the blog is very good for me.

[rocket]

Daniel

I'm really serious about your level. it's really good and I suppose. Your posts are quite clear and speaking German helps as the syntax and pronunciation are closer to English which lends itself to easier understanding of English.

I believe German has phrasal verbs also (verbes composés)???

Just one tip if I may help you

PS : I learned much on Charles' blog; I didn't have the opportunity to practice English since more than 10 years

We say "for 10 years" or since 1997 (in this case)

for = durée
since - date

[Daniel Strohl]

Rocket,

"For, since" : thanks - next time, I will remember - may be I was sleeping (this happened to me ...) as our English teacher tried to make us understand the difference between "since" and "for". But it is a long time ago ...