Little boys don't grow up. They only grow old...I read the news and I wonder, once again, when the world is going to realise that there are much more mature and responsible ways to get what you want than suicide bombs, acts of terrorism, wars -- and yes -- strikes.
Having said that, I should probably be writing about the options of conflict resolution, mediation, round table discussions, but, alas! looking at the players in the field, I am tempted to say: There is little hope of any of these people being able to hold one single mature conversation that will end in a resolution, so it is rather a case of when in Greece do as the Greeks do and perhaps it is time for the women of the world to stand together and do a Lysistrata on the menfolk -- until such time as they stop strutting around and start growing up.
(Lysistrata, a classic play written in 411 BC by Aristophanes, is about the time in Greek history when the city-states were constantly warring with one another. Consequently, the women were left at home. One woman, Lysistrata, was so fed up with the fighting that she called all of the women of Greece, from Sparta and Thebes to a meeting. Lysistrata asks the women to refuse sex with their husbands until a treaty for peace has been signed. Lysistrata convinces them to swear an oath that they will withhold sex from their husbands until both sides sign a treaty of peace, convincing the women that this was the only way to bring peace to the land and finally put an end to the Peloponnesian War).
In South Africa, A nationwide strike of government workers – some 1.3 million of them – threatened to bring South Africa’s government to a virtual halt these last two weeks.
The number of working days lost from strikes keep on rising -- and what with power cuts - and the two-month World Cup party, they add up to a couple of million a year. And while children are staying ast home because there are no teachers at the school, and hospitals are at a loss without their nursing staff, the president continues to father more children...In France, tomorrow sees the start of a massive strike action countrywide.
Two million people are expected to take part in demonstrations around France tomorrow, as a big national day of strike action against pension reforms hits schools (62% of teachers will strike), transport and other public services. Many primary schools will be closed. Collèges and lycées will offer a minimum level of service and few lessons, if any. Tomorrow’s strike will also affect courts, Pôle Emploi job centres, post offices and energy supplier EDF. There will be protests outside hospitals, and paramedics’ union Amuf says a minimum level of service will be in place for 24 hours.The unions are protesting against the government’s plan to raise the state pension age from 60 to 62 by 2018. According to an Ifop poll for Ouest France, 70 per cent of the French public support the day of action.
TRAINS
SNCF workers are due to begin their strike at 20.00 tonight and it is expected to run until 8.00 on Wednesday morning.
Transilien (in Ile-de-France): 41 per cent of peak-time trains are running.
RER: Between 35 per cent and 60 per cent of services operating normally on lines C, D and E. Half of trains are running on RER A, but hardly any at all on RER B.
Paris metro: Normal service on automated lines 11 and 14. Between a third and two thirds of trains running on the other lines, except line 10, where just one train in four will run. A near-normal service is expected on buses and trams.
TER: Nationally, about half of local TER services will be running, but the percentage will vary from one region to the next. See http://www.ter-sncf.com for your region’s provisional timetable.TGV: 40 per cent of trains into and out of Paris will operate, 50 per cent on the north and east mainlines, but only 20 per cent of province-province trains (bypassing Paris) are scheduled to run.
International trains: Eurostar will run a normal service, and Thalys is operating 80 per cent of trains. Ellipsos (to Spain) and Artesia (to Italy) services are cancelled.
Corail: Only 25 per cent of daytime Téoz services are running, and no Lunea night trains at all.
Passengers with a reservation on a mainline TGV or Corail train will be able to travel on any service without modifying their booking, but a seat is not guaranteed.
The SNCF will allow travellers to cancel their ticket at no cost, regardless of the conditions attached to the ticket.
FLIGHTS
Air France expects to run 90 per cent of flights as scheduled from Paris Charles de Gaulle, but only 50 per cent from Orly.
Air traffic controllers have also announced plans to take part in the strike, which means cancellations and delays are likely on other airlines. Further details should be available later today. Check before you fly.
USEFUL LINKS
SNCF: or 0805 90 36 35
Local TER services:
Mainline services:
Live station departure boards:
Transilien trains in Paris:
RATP (Paris public transport): or 0800 15 11 11
Air France:
Click on Link:
