Today sees the second journée nationale de mobilisation in France since the turn of the year. To protest against la crise financière, the government's response to it, job losses, educational reforms, and anything else you can think of. National newspaper Libération is carrying a poll today showing that nearly three quarters of the population is sympathetic to the day of strikes/action. Support on the ground appears somewhat less widespread, if you believe the Paris-centric national press anyway. The Paris metro and buses are apparently running more or less normally, more trains and TGVs are running than predicted and fewer Parisian traffic jams than normal were reported this morning.
Slightly different story elsewhere. Most other regional transport systems are significantly affected by the strike. In Lyon for instance, only about three in four metros and fewer than half the buses and trams are running. Most schools here are also out for the day, as evidenced by le gosse au dessus going slightly stir crazy earlier this morning. For university teachers it's carry on as before. ie the strike which has been going on since the new year to protest about university reforms continues.
The unions seem to have the weather on their side for the planned demonstrations all over the country. Most of France has been bathed in glorious sunshine for the last week, and it's forecast to continue over the weekend. Spring and discontent are in the air...
The other crisis, in the Caribbean, was seemingly resolved last month, when the government, employers and strike leaders in Guadaloupe and Martinique finally hammered out deals (different ones on each island). The unrest has now moved to La Réunion. As far as I can tell the main result of the Caribbean crisis was a 200 euro increase in monthly salary for the low-paid, part of which will be funded by the government, part by the employers, and a price reduction of a range of staple products. Remains to be seen how long the fragile peace lasts though. The main strike leader in Guadaloupe has since been charged with inciting racial hatred for comments made about the béké, the ruling white class, during the dispute...
