Stereotypes are horrible things. They tear people down and are inherently unfair to the autonomy of the individual. Well, before tomorrow’s opener between France and Romania for Euro 2016, French train workers have announced a strike, which would effectively disrupt service through two main lines to the quadrennial soccer tournament’s opening venue this year, Stade de France.
According to The Guardian, French train workers for the country’s state-run railway system SNCF—in alignment with the oft combatant Confédération génerale du travail (General Confederation of Labor) union—have been on strike since last week, protesting working hours in the wake of the Socialist government’s proposed labor reform laws. Nearly 17 percent of train staff have been on strike protesting the reforms, which would make hiring and firing easier.
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“France loves to give this image of itself as a sort of permanent drama, but that’s not the reality. France is not at a standstill,” secretary of state for relations with parliament Jean-Marie Le Guen told Radio Classique.
But if there’s any time to build up drama, it’s certainly when the country’s hosting the 2016 Euros.
“There’s no question of blocking the Euros,” CGT leader Philippe Martinez told LCP television last week. “It’s not transport strikes that will block the Euros.”
We’ll see if the fans agree with that. God bless those striking French.
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