Sarkozy divorce captures headlines over the general strike

Looks like Sarko has timed the news of his divorce (from second wife Cecilia) to mitigate the ire of strikers and citizens. The full general strike, to protest his plan to overhaul France's public sector, has been relegated to second page world-wide with the divorce announcement (which we have been awaiting for some time) making headlines.

On strike for 24 hours:

all rail service
most subway service
bus service
most taxis
many museums

Even the opera was canceled...

Disgruntled Parisians Chauffeurs part 2

Should have known better- what is the point of calling a strike if you are not planning on making a real nuisance of yourself. The taxi chauffeurs just convened at a convenient time for them in order to wreak havoc the rest of the day.

They left in a convoy and proceeded to circle around Gare Montparnasse, with full disregard for traffic lights and signals, honking horns, blocking traffic, anad I saw alot of near misses with Parisians just trying to get to appointments, work and pick up their children. I never heard the outcome of all of this though.

I did hear of a "Moteurs en Colere Association-Angry Motorcycle Drivers Association-the Hell's Angels of France? I don't know, have to investigate futher.

Disgruntled Parisian chauffeurs

Good day to stay away from Paris, or to stay bundled under a quilt- it's dark and rainy and cold and the taxi drivers are on strike and have decided to demonstrate in the 7th, as of 10 AM, in what seems to me to be a non-strike. Who needs to go to the 7th at 10AM in the morning?
Very civilized, when you think about it, to wait until the end of rush hour. Although there will be an influx of taxi drivers from all over France, so it will probably get quite messy.

Will anyone truly miss them? It is so complicated to get a taxi on the streets of Paris that I stopped trying years ago.

Strike Watch

There are some "movements sociaux" = strike on the northern branch of the Transilien, the train that moves passengers around l'Ile de Paris.

I heard something on France Info this morning about a small manif today-something to do with immigration over by place Stalingrad. As it is Sunday, as half the parisians have already left for summer vacation, and as Stalingrad is not a major thoroughfare, it doesn't sound like it will be terribly disruptive (or productive).

Gay Pride Parade

Much to my chagrin, the Gay Pride Parade will start at the Bastille and finish at Montparnasse-not far from my apartment. I thought it was starting here and was relieved that I would be able to go out later. Now I feel trapped for the day.
I have only witnessed the parade in New York, but once was more than enough. I hate crowds!

Strikes and the great departure

Strike today - heard this morning on the news, but I have yet to find it in any of the papers, even with my new mac dashboard widget which aggregates the headlines of the Nouvelle Obs, the Figaro, Le Monde, l'Equipe, le Parisien, and 20 Minutes.

I believe I heard that the walk-out this afternoon will include all of the personnel in contact with the public on the new TGV line Paris - Strasbourg. I am not sure what they are asking for, presumably more money, but in France, maybe not.

This is sure to cause great perturbation as the first 'grand départ'. The summer vacation starts today-even though it is not official until the fourth. A million people commence the Exode this week-end -in Ile de France, la vallée de la Rhône, and the Mediterranean.

Far from feeling left behind, I am grateful that 1) the holidays are staggered to alleviate the gridlock, and 2), that Paris will be empyting out, although the tourists do a pretty good job of repopulating the city in the meantime.

However, tomorrow is Gay Pride Parade, so gridlock, of that we can be sure.

Citizen Unrest

There was a manifestation (demonstration) from Gare Montparnasse down Rue de Rennes on Thursday, June 13th but I have yet to find someone who knew what it was about. Stay posted.

Someone thought it was the nurses, and this is an ongoing issue:
There was a strike in May which i mentioned in an earlier blogand April: May 07

Student nurses went on strike in September 2006:
Sept 06

And so on.

Paris Strike Watch- les grèves éternels

June 14th 2007 - I arrive a bit early to trendy Hotel Costes for a 6 p.m. meeting, thinking to catch up on the press. Only to be told that there has been a strike of newsprinters- even international papers have not been printed.

There were also some general airport strikes today, but I am not sure what the precise issues were.

So much for Paris quiet

It was quiet, almost mystically so this morning when I started off to the pool at 6:30 AM. The sun seemed to be mystically rising in the north.
I languidly mused that Paris felt pretty quiet for 8:AM. Quiet and low-key.

But now I can hear the strikers manifesting two streets over, around Montparnasse. Nurses have called a 'manif' and probably for cause, as much as I am reluctant to say it. I am sure they are underpaid, underappreciated, and generally maligned.

Also, I've been here 13 days and I believe it's the first strike since back. Unbelievable!