STRIKES WORLDWIDE * France - Strike Closes Port Le Havre's Terminals

Dockworkers, port staff join national strike over retirement

LeHavre,France -The Journal of Commerce Online, by Peter T. Leach -Jan 12, 2011: -- All dockworkers and a large number of port staff in Le Havre joined a national strike Wednesday shutting down shipping terminals at France's largest container port... France’s FNPD-CGT union called the strike to press demands for early retirement for those who carry out hard physical work. The union said the current strike would last until at least Sunday... The strike did not affect cross-Channel ferry services or petroleum shipping, according, to a union source quoted by Agence France Presse... National strikes in September and October last year caused major disruption to shipments and oil terminals, particularly in the southern port of Marseille, where the Fos-Lavera oil terminal, the world's third largest, was blocked for more than a month and contributed to a shortage of fuels across France... The sporadic strikes were sparked by the port reform law passed by the government of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which called for the privatization of marine terminals... (Photo from fxnonstop: french strike blocks 10 oil tankers at Le Havre)

* Canada - Canadian Rail Workers OK Strike Authority. Four union groups at two railroads vote to walk out if negotiations fail

Calgary, Alberta,CAN -The Journal of Commerce Online, by Courtney Tower -Jan 13, 2011: -- Members of four union groups at the two major Canadian railways voted to strike if negotiations fail by deadlines late this month and early next month... The strike votes involve some 5,500 workers, the Canadian Auto Workers union said Thursday... Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway spokespersons confirmed the strike votes, with strike deadlines of Jan. 25 for 4,300 workers at Canadian National and Feb. 8 for 2,100 at Canadian Pacific... Key issues, according to the union, are "concessionary demands" that CN has made, on working rules and conditions... Tom Murphy, spokesman for the CAW in Calgary, Alberta, at CP headquarters, said in an interview that wages and benefits are part of the issues but the most important concerns have to do with working conditions, proposed cutbacks in holidays and vacations, and with pensions...