Force Ouvriere

The strike was organised by the CGT CFDT and FO unions to pressurise management over pay and conditions, specifically part-time working and holiday working in a sector employing over 636,000 people.

An inter-union grouping composed of CGT, SUD-rail, FO, CFTC and CFE-CGC has called the action in relation to government attempts to change their retirement circcumstances. The other two recognised rail unions are awaiting the Government offer.

The upcoming elections will require large amounts of extra deliveries, postal workers are demanding that they be paid a standard rate for deliveries as their estimate of the number of extra hours required differs heavily from management's. Management are claiming that the average worker will have to deliver an extra 580 envelopes and will be paid on average 7.5 hours overtime per week.