CHAMPAGNE STRIKE TAKES FIZZLE OUT OF END OF

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

From The Tocqueville Connection:

CHAMPAGNE STRIKE TAKES FIZZLE OUT OF END OF MILLENNIUM HARVEST

REIMS, France, Sept 9 (AFP) - A two-day strike by trade unionists in France's Champagne region is threatening to take the bubble out of the end of the millennium harvest, expected to be one of the century's best both in quality and quantity. The strike over salaries and a new 35-hour work week began Thursday with picket signs posted in front of some of the most prestigious vineyards in Epernay, Ay and Reims. About 1,000 demonstrators also marched Friday in Reims, the capital of Champagne, threatening to extend the strike through the harvest season that starts Tuesday. A similar protest was planned Monday in front of the headquarters of the Marie Stuart champagne label. Union leaders said the walkout was being followed by 70 percent of grape-pickers and other vineyard workers. Management, however, disputed the figure saying the stoppage had not affected some of the famous labels, such as Laurent-Perrier, which had already struck deals with employees over the shortened work week. Marathon talks Thursday between management and the unions stumbled over salary demands once the new shorter working week goes into effect. The unions want all employees to be paid 40 francs (6.5 dollars) an hour whatever their seniority, while management wants to pay employees with less than six months seniority 37.5 francs (six dillars) an hour. Meanwhile this year's harvest set to last three weeks beginning Tuesday is promising to be one of the century's best thanks to plenty of sunshine through the summer. Trade leaders also expect production to soar to 305 to 310 million bottles, enough to restock the wine cellars of those planning to pop a lot of corks this year to usher in the new millennium. According to industry experts, the sale of champagne bottles ahead of the New Year are expected to reach an all-time high with more than 300 million bottles sold. Last year, sales of the golden liquid also reached a record 292 million bottles. The labour unrest in Champagne comes amid nationwide grumbling by farmers angered over globilization and US punitive tariffs on European products. On Friday groups of farmers riding tractors pelted government offices with eggs, threw chickens into roads and burnt haystacks as part of a morning of protests from eastern Strasbourg to western Rennes and in regional towns across the land. The action was called by the biggest farmers' union, the FNSEA. The US agricultural sanctions on Europe concern French luxury items such as Roquefort cheese, Dijon mustard, foie gras. They were prompted by the EU's import ban on hormone-treated US beef. The European Union argues that the ban is necessary because preliminary research shows the hormones are potentially cancer causing, a claim rejected by the United States. S990911B.HTM Sat, 11 Sep 1999 01:02:32 GMT ) AFP

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 11, 1999


Moderation questions? read the FAQ