Gas/Petrol shortages in France?
May 24th, 2016, 08:17 AM
#21
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As reported by our friends and theirs as well:
No petrol in Coustellet nor Cavaillon.
Long lines in Apt[at Total and LeClerc] and in L'isle de la Sorgue.
I would be a very unhappy camper if I were on vacation in The Luberon where driving about is about the only game in town.
No petrol in Coustellet nor Cavaillon.
Long lines in Apt[at Total and LeClerc] and in L'isle de la Sorgue.
I would be a very unhappy camper if I were on vacation in The Luberon where driving about is about the only game in town.
May 24th, 2016, 10:26 AM
#23
On the news, they mentioned that business at the gas stations has doubled in the last two days, which means that a lot of people are buying fuel that they didn't really need. They see a line of cars and they join it without thinking.
Meanwhile, I'm quite sure that the AutoLib electric cars in Paris are going to have their best week ever.
Meanwhile, I'm quite sure that the AutoLib electric cars in Paris are going to have their best week ever.
May 24th, 2016, 11:01 AM
#24
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The French relative I talked to today said that (speaking for herself) the French are really fed up with this situation where strikers blocked a big refinery access and applauded the fact that finally the police were brought in to clear the strikers out.
Normally the French have had IME rather blind support of unions but this one seems to have touched a nerve - imagine in the States if strikers blocked highways or tried to bring the fuel supply to a standstill - they would have been cleared out right away - by the military if necessary - it would never have reached the crisis that my French friend says it has.
So this could be a turning point - she has always voted Socialist or Green but now thinks unions may have too much leverage over modernizing labor practices- the recent protests over plans floated to let employers lay off tenured workers was an example - unions managed to fill the streets with protesters. So the old system remains where someone who is hired has a probation period before being permanently hired and then usually can't be laid off - many companies chose to not hire the temporary worker who then gets to collect 80-90& of their salary in unemployment for up to a year and perhaps longer.
My French son knows several of his friends who this has happened to - one is his cousin who was let go and now gets most of his salary in unemployment for a whole year - he is now traveling in Germany and not looking for work. There are many of these cases I understand costing the government tons of money, which according to my friend taxpayers are rather getting fed up with paying for.
Yet needed reforms for French companies to better compete - like letting stores open on Sundays- reducing the unemployment- never seem to come to fruition.
The 'midget' as they call Pres Hollande has plunged to record low ratings in polls - even my friend who has voted socialist forever is disgusted with him.
So with terrorists attacks and labor unrest and taxpayer unrest the French today do not seem to be happy campers.
and the spate of rail strikes that cause so many problems only adds to it.
It seems to be a state out of control of things - and even though the economy is doing better I guess than many European countries things may get worse before better.
Now don't shoot the messenger - I am just relaying what I've heard locals, who may not be in the mainstream, are saying.
Normally the French have had IME rather blind support of unions but this one seems to have touched a nerve - imagine in the States if strikers blocked highways or tried to bring the fuel supply to a standstill - they would have been cleared out right away - by the military if necessary - it would never have reached the crisis that my French friend says it has.
So this could be a turning point - she has always voted Socialist or Green but now thinks unions may have too much leverage over modernizing labor practices- the recent protests over plans floated to let employers lay off tenured workers was an example - unions managed to fill the streets with protesters. So the old system remains where someone who is hired has a probation period before being permanently hired and then usually can't be laid off - many companies chose to not hire the temporary worker who then gets to collect 80-90& of their salary in unemployment for up to a year and perhaps longer.
My French son knows several of his friends who this has happened to - one is his cousin who was let go and now gets most of his salary in unemployment for a whole year - he is now traveling in Germany and not looking for work. There are many of these cases I understand costing the government tons of money, which according to my friend taxpayers are rather getting fed up with paying for.
Yet needed reforms for French companies to better compete - like letting stores open on Sundays- reducing the unemployment- never seem to come to fruition.
The 'midget' as they call Pres Hollande has plunged to record low ratings in polls - even my friend who has voted socialist forever is disgusted with him.
So with terrorists attacks and labor unrest and taxpayer unrest the French today do not seem to be happy campers.
and the spate of rail strikes that cause so many problems only adds to it.
It seems to be a state out of control of things - and even though the economy is doing better I guess than many European countries things may get worse before better.
Now don't shoot the messenger - I am just relaying what I've heard locals, who may not be in the mainstream, are saying.
May 24th, 2016, 11:42 AM
#26
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<<They see a line of cars and they join it without thinking.>> They do that in the US, also. I remember long gas lines in the 70s, but there is this panic mentality for weather events which seems so absurd to me. Whenever they predict a few inches of snow here, they do stories on TV about all these idiots in stores buying shovels (why they don't already own one, I have no idea) and stocking up on toilet paper, eggs, bread and milk like they are going to spend the next day whipping up massive amounts of French toast or something. I really don't understand what's wrong with people that they don't have things in the house already in their pantry, they should buy on sale and store things (like TP, certainly). It is very rare that people cant' go anywhere for more than a day or two here, even in snow storms.
I just read the announcements about the continuing rail and RATP strikes, and now they have added some civil aviation strikes for June 3-5th on top of it. This is really getting a bit much. CGT sounded like they were going to strike every day on RATP in the news I read, beginning JUne 2nd.
I just read the announcements about the continuing rail and RATP strikes, and now they have added some civil aviation strikes for June 3-5th on top of it. This is really getting a bit much. CGT sounded like they were going to strike every day on RATP in the news I read, beginning JUne 2nd.
May 24th, 2016, 12:18 PM
#27
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I have to agree with you on the weather-related hoarding, here too, Christina.
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On NPR this afternoon, I think I heard that 70 percent of French voters polled oppose the changes to labor laws that Hollande & Co. are trying to introduce.
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On NPR this afternoon, I think I heard that 70 percent of French voters polled oppose the changes to labor laws that Hollande & Co. are trying to introduce.
May 24th, 2016, 01:06 PM
#28
There are legitimate reasons to contest the new work code law even though it has been so watered down from the original version that it is almost laughable.
However, the majority of the voters seem to be really short sighted in wanting to kick out the current government, because when the new right wing government takes over next year, they will implement a much worse law if this new one is not in place.
Meanwhile, the power of the CGT mystifies me. France has the lowest union membership in the developed world, and it is now down to 7.5% (compared to, for example, neighboring Belgium at 54% or Germany at 21%). The CGT represents only about 30% of unionized workers.
Unfortunately it has a history of being so powerful 30 or 40 years ago that it manages to make any government and most 'ordinary' people quake in their boots when it makes a proclamation, such as it is doing now.
To be honest, it does wield considerable power anyway, because it is still well implanted in many crucial industries and in a lot of cases it only requires about 5-10% of strikers to shut down certain places when the strikers are in key positions.
However, the majority of the voters seem to be really short sighted in wanting to kick out the current government, because when the new right wing government takes over next year, they will implement a much worse law if this new one is not in place.
Meanwhile, the power of the CGT mystifies me. France has the lowest union membership in the developed world, and it is now down to 7.5% (compared to, for example, neighboring Belgium at 54% or Germany at 21%). The CGT represents only about 30% of unionized workers.
Unfortunately it has a history of being so powerful 30 or 40 years ago that it manages to make any government and most 'ordinary' people quake in their boots when it makes a proclamation, such as it is doing now.
To be honest, it does wield considerable power anyway, because it is still well implanted in many crucial industries and in a lot of cases it only requires about 5-10% of strikers to shut down certain places when the strikers are in key positions.
May 24th, 2016, 03:30 PM
#30
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I'm astonished by the union membership figures for France; I would have thought participation was much higher.
What do you suppose are the best sources for French news online, in English?
Really, I ought to learn French....
What do you suppose are the best sources for French news online, in English?
Really, I ought to learn French....
May 25th, 2016, 04:32 AM
#33
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And TOTAL bosses say they might reconsider investing in France.
Where do we go if we start putting strikers in jail because they break the laws and if management begins to stop investing when Union go on strike and block their companies ?
What about the universal right to annoy everybody ?
TOTALly irresponsible.
Where do we go if we start putting strikers in jail because they break the laws and if management begins to stop investing when Union go on strike and block their companies ?
What about the universal right to annoy everybody ?
TOTALly irresponsible.
May 25th, 2016, 05:03 AM
#34
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We are currently in a seaside village near La Rochelle but we were in Bordeaux yesterday. There are short lines but there is gas. I drove from Rennes last Tuesday, the day the strikes started in the west and Britanny and my work colleagues there are having problems getting gas. I heard on the French news on the radio that France has been using their strategic reserves for 2 days now. Businesses are particularly upset since companies like delivery services can't operate in some cities.
Hopefully it will end soon-but I feel lucky that at least our region is okay for now!
Also, we had to drive across France from Bordeaux to St. Remy two summers ago on the black Saturday in August and took D roads-it took us 12 hours but we got to see wonderful areas of France!
Hopefully it will end soon-but I feel lucky that at least our region is okay for now!
Also, we had to drive across France from Bordeaux to St. Remy two summers ago on the black Saturday in August and took D roads-it took us 12 hours but we got to see wonderful areas of France!
May 25th, 2016, 09:39 AM
#36
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An interesting article on the fuel shortages and the background to them: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36378885
The BBC TV news reported that France is starting to use it's national reserves tonight.
We are going to the UK from Dunkirk a week on Friday so are following all this unrest with added interest. We were going to fill up with cheap French fuel, but I thin it will have to be cheap Belgian fuel instead if this continues. I am as I said up thread hoping they don't decide to blockade the ports, which are a favourite target for any French protest.
The BBC TV news reported that France is starting to use it's national reserves tonight.
We are going to the UK from Dunkirk a week on Friday so are following all this unrest with added interest. We were going to fill up with cheap French fuel, but I thin it will have to be cheap Belgian fuel instead if this continues. I am as I said up thread hoping they don't decide to blockade the ports, which are a favourite target for any French protest.
May 25th, 2016, 10:40 AM
#37
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Headed to France tomorrow...Lyon, Aix, and Avignon by trains, but will be driving from Rennes to Cancale the following week...hopeful that things go well for us and for those already experiencing this.
