Eng/French/Nat Truckers blockaded highways and border crossings throughout France to protest new rules limiting them to a 35-hour week. They blocked borders with Belgium and Germany and obstructed travel across the English channel on Monday. The action, which also protests a rise in diesel prices, follows similar actions in 1996 and 1997. It's a familiar sight across Europe. Truck drivers blocking the E-19 motorway at Valenciennes - the border between France and Belgium. The truckers' protest, which began early on Monday, obstructed traffic across France, especially at border crossings and in northern cities. In the Alps, truckers blocked off the Frejus tunnel linking France and Italy by parking their vehicles at the foot of the tunnel's access ramp overnight. About 200 trucks slowed traffic at the Franco-Belgium frontier of Rekkem. At the border with Spain in the town of Biriatou, protesters slowed traffic in both directions. The strikes have also affected northern port cities such as Le Havre and the border with Germany near Strasbourg. Truck owners organised the strike to protest against the government's decision to implement a 35-hour, shorter working week. The plan is designed to ease unemployment, but truck owners say it could hurt their ability to compete with trucking companies throughout Europe. Competition has increased immensely in the industry, partly because the national market is being gradually turned into a European single market. Truck drivers were also protesting rising gasoline prices which have climbed 30% since January last year. SOUNDBITE: (French) "In France, we have - at the moment - the problem of 35 hours. The 35 hours mean that our drivers will have a compensation break of 2 months per year. We have the other problem of drivers' salaries - as well as the other problem of winning back our drivers. What we want in France is to be treated like the rest of Europe." SUPER CAPTION: Jean-Pierre Bekaert, Representative of the National Federation of Road Haulers Although the strike had threatened to hit British lorry drivers and cross-Channel travellers, traffic appeared to be flowing quite well throughout Monday. The A26 - a major route out of Calais - was blocked by strikers, but ferry passengers were able to pass in and out of the port. SOUNDBITE: (French) "What we want is to negotiate on the 35 hours a week and a faster recuperation of the high taxes on petrol." SUPER CAPTION: Leon Welch, Union Leader SOUNDBITE: (French) "We used to work in good conditions. We liked our work. But now it is not at all the same. They are forcing us not to drive. We can't work anymore." SUPER CAPTION: Jean Claude Houplain, French Truck Driver Despite very little disruption to the traffic flow across the English channel, British freight organisations were still furious the strike had been allowed to go ahead. SOUNDBITE: (English) "They are being restricted to working 35 hours when the rest of us can work longer hours. But the French, by doing action like this, doesn't do the cause any good by holding the rest of Europe to ransom" SUPER CAPTION: Michael Kennedy, British Truck Driver P&O; Stena Line, which runs ferries between Dover and Calais, said services were operating normally. And Eurotunnel said its Channel Tunnel shuttle services between Folkestone and Calais were also unaffected. Despite the fact that French truckers were adamant they wouldn't back down until their demands were met, the blockade in Calais ended early on Monday afternoon. Gerard Coquide President of the F-N-T-R truckers union in Calais said that he was happy with the turn out - and the action was a warning to French government. SOUNDBITE: (French) You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c8008f9010b374e158623641677dc6a0 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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