French workers strike (2 Viewers)

[Lot lover]

Here in the N Lot the local Leclerc has no restrictions on the amount, no queues but gradual price increases, now€1.15. However if you are heading to Calais a full tank is unlikely to take you 800km. But then you are in an MH and can always find somewhere to park and wait till the refineries open.

As regards the proposed ATC strike next week the "plan" is that it will start on Thursday 2/6 and continue into Sunday 5/6.

Pls remember that you are only suffering disruption to your holidays, a lot of us live here and may have to endure a general strike. Our choice I know but after 13 years still the right one for us.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Could it be said the Government are not much better in the way they have attempted to introduce the Labour laws?
Is Maggie Thatcher alive and well and living in France?

You make it sound like they're reintroducing slavery.

All the new laws do is even things up a bit and remove some of the huge bias against employers.

If employing people is a pain in the arse here it's a walk in the park compared to France.

 

[Lot lover]

p.s. why does the British Meedja only refer to "petrol" shortages? No one here cares a flying fig for petrol, it's only used for our mowers and other garden stuff.

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[Larby]

You make it sound like they're reintroducing slavery.

All the new laws do is even things up a bit and remove some of the huge bias against employers.

If employing people is a pain in the arse here it's a walk in the park compared to France.

I was trying to say the government could have handled their case better.
I don't believe making reference to Maggie was making it sound like a re-introduction of slavery ??
I believe both parties have let themselves down. I do not side with either.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

It's interesting that it's a Socialist government that is forcing these reforms through.

The opposition is being driven by hardline unions that are even more self serving than the ones here. Their main point of opposition is that they see their own power being reduced.

No sympathy for them from me.

 

[JJ]

No sympathy for them from me.

No doubt that will cause them great concern...

JJ

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[Deleted member 29692]

No doubt that will cause them great concern...

JJ

Couldn't care less. I love it when lefties start fighting amongst themselves.

 

[Ber090]

Latest here in Villeneuve Sur Lot is all supers have fuel but 20 euro restriction and no containers. No queues.
Cheers Bernie

 

[Charlie]

If we in this country had the balls the French do perhaps we would not have the minimum now called living wage and zero hours contracts.

Employees used to have security in the workplace with sick and/or holiday pay. I could go on but you know what I mean ....

Good luck to em I say .

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[mitzimad]

thats the irony of the situation a socialist goverment beating the workers into submission

 

[aztecannie]

We've been in the Dordogne for our last week before moving North tomorrow for ferry on Monday from Dieppe. Managed to find two garages around Sarlat..one rationed to €30 the other no rationing..so have filled up. However we need 1.5 tanks full to get home so are hoping to top up en route. Fingers crossed as well that there won't be a blockade at Dieppe. Any info regarding this greatly appreciated. Happy motorhoming! !

 

[Deleted member 29692]

If we in this country had the balls the French do perhaps we would not have the minimum now called living wage and zero hours contracts.

Employees used to have security in the workplace with sick and/or holiday pay. I could go on but you know what I mean ....

Good luck to em I say .

Zero hours contracts have their place.

Take 'er indoors as an example. She works in the NHS in quite a specialised role. She's highly trained and experienced.

She gave up her full time contract, entirely her choice, a few years ago and now works permanently on "bank" which is zero hours. She refuses absolutely to take any other type of contract.

If zero hours wasn't available her skills and experience would be lost to the NHS.

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[scotjimland]

zero hours contracts have their place.

yes.. as in your wife's case..when used properly.. and for the convenience of both employee and employer .. good idea..

and as as an employer I can see why you think they are good..

but how can a family man/woman who is the sole or main income provider budget with a zero hours contract.. ? It's not possible..

A Zero hours contract should be an option.. and not imposed.. it used to be called flexitime... and was a mutual arrangement between employee and employer.

Also, 'self employed' so the employer doesn't have to pay sick pay, holiday pay and can fire or lay off at will..

The older generation, like myself, fought hard for such basic rights as a place to wash up.. a place to eat etc.. it's all gone down the drain..
the destruction of the unions and the hard fought for employment rights by Maggie have taken us back to Victorian times..

 

[Deleted member 29692]

@scotjimland shhhhh don't use the W-word just in case she reads this and gets ideas

I agree that such contracts should be an option where possible rather than imposed but a lot of the jobs where they are utilised simply wouldn't exist without them. The people who seem to think that if they were banned all those jobs would immediately be converted to permanent full time roles must be living in cloud cuckoo land. It wouldn't happen - 90% of those jobs would disappear.

For reference I don't use them, or at least not in the way you mean. When I need help it's usually on a casual price work/piece rate basis.

 

[scotjimland]

90% of those jobs would disappear.

are you suggesting that all McDees . KFCs. Sports Direct, etc etc would close down..?

come to think of it.. good idea..

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[Deleted member 29692]

are you suggesting that all McDees . KFCs. Sports Direct, etc etc would close down..?

come to think of it.. good idea..

Of course they wouldn't but they would restructure their staffing. 6 people who do 7 or 8 hours a week each on zero contracts might become one full time position or perhaps two part time ones.

It might mean that lots of people who rely on zero hours contracts, such as students, couldn't work any more because the shift requirements didn't work for them. My mate's daughter is an example of this - she's starting university in September and she's got herself two zero hour jobs in two Co-Op shops in the place where she will be studying. Zero hour is the only thing that works for her because she can fit her hours around her course and study requirements.

The one thing that wouldn't happen would be hundreds of zero hour contracts suddenly becoming hundreds of guaranteed hour ones.

 

[scotjimland]

My mate's daughter is an example of this - she's starting university in September and she's got herself two zero hour jobs in two Co-Op shops in the place where she will be studying. Zero hour is the only thing that works for her because she can fit her hours around her course and study requirements.

sounds like a good arrangement.. until she can't fulfil a request to go to work..
she'll soon be looking for another zero hours job..

like van drivers who work for agencies.. say no to a job and you're out.. bye bye , history.. .. and don't come back Johnny .. plenty or migrants who will do it cheaper.. and without moaning..

 

[Deleted member 29692]

sounds like a good arrangement.. until she can't fulfil a request to go to work..
she'll soon be looking for another zero hours job..

Which won't bother her in the slightest, just like not getting asked to do any hours at all in a particular week won't bother her. That's the point.

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[gus-lopez]

Zero hours contracts have their place.

.

Except when they restrict you from working for anybody else. So when you've no 'hours' , can't work for anyone else & are classed as 'employed' & so entitled to no assistance what do you live on ?
Yes used correctly & in a few cases they are acceptable.
For shop workers , van drivers etc; No it should not be allowed. All it does is enhance the profits of the businesses.

 

[chaser]

Except when they restrict you from working for anybody else. So when you've no 'hours' , can't work for anyone else & are classed as 'employed' & so entitled to no assistance what do you live on ?
Yes used correctly & in a few cases they are acceptable.
For shop workers , van drivers etc; No it should not be allowed. All it does is enhance the profits of the businesses.

Or , make the business have a profit at all, not all business's can stand paying someone all day to sit waiting in case a customer comes in.

 

[chaser]

Although , admitted I wasn't relying on my wages when van driving , I was quite happy to just go in when they needed me.

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[Ivory55]

If it's a bad business perhaps it should fail, why should employees subsidise a bad business. What is the difference between zero hour contracts and queuing at the dock gate each day in the hope of being picked for a day's work?

 

[chaser]

If it's a bad business perhaps it should fail, why should employees subsidise a bad business. What is the difference between zero hour contracts and queuing at the dock gate each day in the hope of being picked for a day's work?

Probably nothing , but what's wrong with that, how many are in the docks now?

 

[Ivory55]

If it's ok for firms to have zero hour contracts surely it's only fair that the employees can claim dole for the days not working or is only ok for employers ?

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[johnp10]

It's interesting that it's a Socialist government that is forcing these reforms through.

The opposition is being driven by hardline unions that are even more self serving than the ones here. Their main point of opposition is that they see their own power being reduced.

No sympathy for them from me.

Is that stated fact or biased conjecture?

Although , admitted I wasn't relying on my wages when van driving , I was quite happy to just go in when they needed me.

Different ballgame if you didn't have any other income and were trying to support a young family?

That's where zero hours contracts fall down.
Ok for the employer, but they remove all and any semblance of security from the worker, unless the worker doesn't need to work anyway.
Effectively putting employment back to the days of waiting at the factory gates to see if you got a days' work.

 

[Camdoon]

are you suggesting that all McDees . KFCs. Sports Direct, etc etc would close down..?

come to think of it.. good idea..

Ironically the biggest McD's franchise outside the USA is in France.

The reason why it is now difficult to find the same quality of restaurant in France as you could 20 years ago is because of this working hour initiative. French chefs cannot employ staff to work the hours required.

My son is a young chef and starts at 0900hr has two hours off between 3 and 5 then works until 2200hr. Every second week he finishes at 1500hr on the Friday. His friends in the industry think him a wimp because he does not work weekends or during August (he has some work lined up elsewhere for then).

 

[mitzimad]

my neice was on zero hour contract got called in one morning but as it was raining and trade was slow she was sent home after an hour fares cost her more than she got for the hours work and she had bought a sandwich for lunch on the way in

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[TerryL]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Any chance we can get back on topic? Crossing Channel next week and would appreciate updated info, such as OP was looking for.

Please chaps?

 

[Detnor]

The panic buy hoarding seems to be easing, filled tank today, no queues (€1.10 ltr). I dont know about motorways, but overhead signs advise. People next pitch advise still restrictions around le harve, but no inconvenience. The sites seem very quiet, the weather is good and the euro rate is ok.....

 

[Fenman]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Any chance we can get back on topic? Crossing Channel next week and would appreciate updated info, such as OP was looking for.

Please chaps?

Absolutely right.
Argue the rights and wrongs in the lounge please.

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