PARIS// Fresh strikes and violent protests hit France Thursday, but there’s no need for football fans to panic. With only a week to go before Euro 2016, transport chaos was averted when airport staff cancelled a walkout and a strike on the Paris metro caused little disruption.
With half of all trains nationally cancelled barely a week before Euro 2016 kicks off on June 10, union chiefs had hoped to bring Paris to a halt but the metro strike had little effect. Meanwhile, air-traffic controllers agreed a deal with the government thus lifting the threat of flights grounded over the weekend.
Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri said: “What the government is doing ... is sorting out each of the situations one by one.”
But football fans can’t totally relax as there is plenty of potential for the unions to cause trouble during the Euro tournament, which already pose a major security challenge after last year’s jihadist attacks in Paris.
Workers were back on strike at 16 of the country’s 19 nuclear power stations, six of France’s eight oil refineries are either shut or operating at reduced capacity and Air France pilots are threatening a four-day walkout starting on June 11.
On Thursday, strikers occupied the tracks at a railway hub in Paris and created electricity blackouts by cutting power to a large power line in western France.
Though each group of workers has its own reasons for striking, all are united in their opposition to new labour reforms which the Socialist government says are aimed at which the government says are designed to boost the country’s flagging economy and tackle high unemployment by making France more business-friendly. But the speedy passing of the new law through the lower house of the French parliament has outraged the unions and the anger has spilled over into violence at times. Strikers clashed with police in Nantes, Toulouse and Rennes and erected blockades at a major naval shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.
But despite the violence, the government of President Francois Hollande is determined not to capitulate. Labour minister Khomri insisted, ““We will not withdraw the bill, “ while the prime minister Manuel Valis decried the “waste” caused by the strike, telling parliament on Wednesday, “This conflict is weighing on our economy at a time when the actions of the government are allowing a rebound, growth and a fall in unemployment.”
President Hollande himself has criticised the unions for tarnishing the image of France.
* Agence France Presse
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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