One major French railway was brought to a stop about a week ago in Paris due to a workers’s strike. Weekly two day strikes are being scheduled by unions for the next three months, according toe SNCF (the national railway authority), leaving France with only 12% of their trains running during those times. This will affect not only national, but international travel as well, as trains are expected not to run to Italy, Spain, or Switzerland. National traffic is expected to increase exponentially during these strikes, as many rely on the railways as their main form of transportation. The article mentioned that the strike left passengers scrambling, with many having to hitch rides on the highway and share travel tips online. It also left the train stations and tracks teeming with passengers. However, the strike was necessary to the unions: “Labor unions say Macron — a centrist former investment banker whom critics consider the president of the rich — is threatening hard-fought French rights that workers in other countries envy, as well as damaging the whole idea of public service.” This is deemed one of the worst industrial strikes in French history, with airlines even participating.
This article highlights multiple perspectives. One it touches on is the perspective of the strikers themselves, and their reasoning for the strikes. It provides direct quotes from strikers and Francois Grasa, leader of the FO Cheminots (Railway Workers) Union. It also shows how the passengers and civilians were very much impacted by this strike. While it didn’t focus on this perspective as much, the article does mention the perspectives of Macron, the French president.
The article uses statistics to provide evidence of how the strike is affecting civilians, as well as the French economy. It provided numerical data on how many trains and planes aren’t being used. It also provides numerical data on how passengers were affected by the strikes. In addition, it uses anecdotal evidence by providing quotes from each side of the story.
Works Cited
Charlton, Angela. “Strike Causes French Railway Chaos, with More to Come.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 3 Apr. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/04/03/strike-causes-french-railway-chaos-more-come/483625002/.
“France Train Strikes Disrupt Travel as Rail Workers Protest Reforms.” USA Today, www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/04/03/strike-causes-french-railway-chaos-more-come/483625002/.
