France
France: trains and bus strikes continue
Transport strikes continued across France today, although the number of services running increased.
According to the CGT observance of the strike today (Thursday) was at 46%, 42,8% according to management, figures for yesterday were 61.5%. In Paris observance dropped from 44% yesterday to 27.2%.
The striking unions called for AGs to vote to continue the action on Friday.
France: more universities vote to strike
Information is at a premium, with official channels giving reports that do not tally with experiences on the ground, with actions going unreported or unconfirmed.
There were votes for strike action today at Bourgogne, Amiens and Lille II universities. Filtered barrages were voted for at Paris XII, Orleans and Chambery.
France: Students strikes spread, solidarity actions begin
With more universities and students joining the strike many have also chosen to participate in solidarity actions.
The government is now admitting that 32 universities are 'affected by student action' although this is actually closer to the total that are blockaded, with a further 20 universities affected by some action.
France: transport strikes to continue
The strike action that has paralysed France's public transport system since Tuesday is set to continue for at least another day.
The TGV ran 90 out of 700 trains. The other national service, Corail, ran only 12 trains out of a normal service of 300. With the local TER services few trains ran, although a scab service of 2000 buses was in operation. Transport authorities are promising to improve the situation tomorrow, claiming one in three TER services will run, 50 Corail and 150 TGVs.
France: Transport and energy strikes begin
Workers fighting to defend their pension rights have launched a second strike.
This time the strike is reconductible, meaning that although it is not an unlimited strike it is renewable on a daily basis. The strike warning given by the unions was for a strike beginning from 8pm on Tuesday.
Riot police attack the blockades at Nanterre university 13/11/2007
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An account from one of those at the blockades, with a few minor edits and additions for clarity.
At least 150 students started the blockade from 7am, at one point the blockade of the F building looked to be under threat, but by the time I arrived there were easily 250 people blocking the doors. The law students threw apples at the pickets but discipline was maintained on the picket lines so as not to give the police an excuse to atack.
Updates from Nanterre
Some of today's events at Nanterre
The day began badly with the university authorities calling the police. Around 100 Gendarmes were used to break the blockade, tear gas and batons were used on the picketers. There were no arrests, the police satisfying themselves with hitting a few people, although there do not appear to have been any serious injuries.
France: university students continue strikes
More news from the developing movement in France.
Many of France's 84 universities are now on strike and blockaded, Rouen, Nantes,Tours, Tolbiac (Paris 1), La Sorbonne Clignancourt, Lille I et III, Rennes II, Toulouse, Perpignan, Caen (Lettres et Sciences), Nanterre, Montpellier I, II and II, Pau, Aix, Lyon II, Metz, Limoges, Nancy and Paris VIII. Some universities have strikes with no blockades, Le Havre, and Toulouse Rangeuil.
France: some updates on student strikes
Updates and reports from AG, blockades and strikes across France.
This update is not comprehensive but it has most of the available information, additionally some universities are still on holiday and therefore no action can take place.
Aix-en-Provence, the AG at the litterature campus, held yesterday, voted to continue the strike and the blockade until the next AG on Tuesday (465 for, 250 against) (09/11/07)
Nanterre strike leaflet
A translation of a leaflet distributed by students involved in the strike action and blockades.
side 1
NANTERRE VOTES TO STRIKE
The General Assembly (AG) at Nanterre on Thursday 8th of November broguht together over 1000 students, teachers and staff of the university. More and more universities are joining the strike.
A large majority at the AG voted for the repeal of the law on autonomy for universities and for the blockade of the university until Monday.
