- Join the France 24 community here
- Log in
Latest update: 22/09/2009
- France - strike
Paris postal workers strike on privatisation fears
Workers at La Poste are striking on fears that moves to liberalise the sector will inevitably lead to the privatisation of a cherished public body. Under EU rules, the postal sector in France has to open up to competition in 2011.
French postal unions called on Monday for indefinite strike action at Paris post offices ahead of a nationwide protest against proposed reforms to the country's state-owned postal service.
The strike action, affecting 185 branches of La Poste in Paris, is a reaction to cost-saving measures that have involved shedding 140 jobs in the last six months.
Unions are fearful that a government plan to change La Poste into a public-limited company may eventually lead to the company's privatisation.
"Why change its status if the aim is not to prepare for a change in its ownership structure?" Olivier Besancenot, a postal worker and spokesman of the New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA), told France Inter radio.
French Labour Minister Xavier Darcos denied that any such plans were afoot. "There's no question of a privatisation, the service will remain 100 percent public, no private funds will enter its capital," he told France Info radio.
"I perfectly understand the concern of La Poste employees," he added. "But as for a risk of privatising La Poste, that is not something that is going to happen."
The French government approved the proposals earlier this year, saying the change in status was necessary to prepare for the sector's liberalisation in 2011 under EU rules.
La Poste says it needs the government cash injection of 2.7 billion euros to be in a competitive postion. The government plans to inject the funds directly and via state-owned bank Caisse des Depots (CDC).
The French postal service is taking steps to streamline its operations and stem the decline in its profits. In the first six months of 2009, profits fell 19% while revenues slipped 2%.
Related Content
‘Darth Vader’ demands free land from Ukrainian government
Browse all editions
FRANCE 24 PARTNERS
Comments (2)
Fear of privatisation
The fear of privatisation of La Poste is well-founded. When an economic minister, Sarkozy said that France Telecom, Edf and Gdf would never be privatised! It is not just in France where privatisation of public services has resulted in poorer and costlier services - an inevitability given that the purpose of privatisation is profit making. The postal services in Sweden, Holland and the UK have all suffered - higher prices, poorer services via post office closures and loss of jobs. Then, of course, there are the disastrous examples of the privatisation of British Rail, energy and water.
Polls consistently show that two-thirds of the French are against the privatisation of La Poste. So, here I agree with Tom 'let the customer decide'.
French Postal workers Strike
Well its seems the French do what they do best? Strike! The European postal system is being slowly opened up for cross border competition within Europe.I think that is the crucial word 'competition'.The French like the Germans have a state controlled postal monopoly.They lose Euro's by the millions,but the tax payers keeps pouring money in? Why? When you buy a car,do you have only one choice? No,so choice in postal delivery will cure the ills of the French postal service.A better,more efficient and cheaper service for customers,or go out of business.The customer decides not the government.