October 14, 2010 
Workers at the Total refinery in Nantes voted yesterday to extend their strike against proposed pension cuts through Oct 18.
In Marseille where dock workers have been on strike for the last 18 days to protest the pension cuts and privatization of ports, a local business lobby took out a newspaper ad saying that dock workers shouldn’t be on strike because they have it too good. The ad says that the dock workers make 4,000 euros ($5,581) a month and only have to work 18 hours a week.
Dock workers responded by posting 250 pay slips on the walls of the lobby’s office. Union leaders said that maximum pay for dock workers is 2,000 euros ($2,790) a month and like all French workers their normal work week is 35 hours.
The dock workers strike has stalled the unloading of oil tankers at the port, which in concert with the ongoing strike at most of France’s oil refineries, will soon cause gasoline shortages.
Rail workers nationally and public transportation workers in France continued their strike through Thursday; although, fewer rail and transport workers are staying off the job.
Another mass mobilization against the pension cuts are scheduled for Saturday, Oct 16.
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