Leading French dockers' union FNPD-CGT remains mobilised against the government's draft pensions reform plan following its latest 72-hour stoppage with 100% participation that completely stopped traffic in the country's seven main ports between 22 and 24 January.
On Wednesday 29 January after a national consultation meeting with its branches, FNPD-CGT called for a further 24-hour 'Dead Ports' operation following the failure of the government's national merchant navy council to confirm its latest proposal to guarantee seafarers' and dockers' pension arrangements as laid down in their collective agreements.
The latest stoppage follows three consecutive 72-hour strikes in the space of three weeks.
The action, which included bans on overtime and working extra shifts, is the dockers' fourteenth strike day since 5 December, continued in stoppages on 10, 12 and 17 December.
The FNPD-CGT's national 'Dead Ports' operations, backed by other port workers and tug and towage unions, have paralysed Dunkirk, Le Havre, Rouen, Nantes-Saint Nazaire, La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Marseilles.
Over the last two weeks access to Le Havre, the leading French container gateway, Rouen, the country's main grain port and Marseilles, France's biggest hydrocarbon port have been blocked.