Government Sees Light, Names Negotiators

Strikes Continue for 15th Day, but SNCF Talks to Begin Today

Two government ministers, Dominique Perben and Jacques Barrot, will be meeting with other leading union heads, if not today, then during the weekend. They will have to come to an accomodation quickly, because the unions most active, the CGT and FO, have called for a new nation-wide demonstrations next Tuesday.

Lionel Jospin on television last night.

Last night Lionel Jospin, former secretary-general of the Socialist Party and recent Presidential elections candidate, said on A2 TV news, "It's time for the government to cease being blind and deaf, and that they negociate." ("Il faut que le governement cesse d'etre aveugle et sourd, et qu'il negocie.")

Meanwhile the strikes continue. In haste and despite taking a photo of a strike notice at a public school, I think I forgot to mention that teachers walked out yesterday, greatly adding to the numbers of marchers. So the situation today, in the public sector, is pretty much the same as yesterday. There are still a lot of public employees continuing to work, perhaps as many as half, and they will be closely following the progress of talks.

To avoid getting too relaxed while Sylvie fights traffic, Charlie Timoney brings a giant thermos of coffee every morning.

However, at 5:30 this morning, it was nearly routine for Sylvie Mignon to leave her warm apartment, to start her Fiesta diesel for the daily run to La Defence. She was joined a couple of minutes later by neighbour Charlie Timoney, with his thermos and the same desination. A third passenger did not appear, due to a child ill. A fourth was to be picked up on the way. Your reporter could not be in the photo too, but I have included a shot of the nearly full moon to prove that the image was no made yesterday afternoon.

The signature of this photographer: a nearly full moon, shot with available light at 5:30 this morning. The moon itself was the available light.

Late News at 13:00 Today Initial talks this morning with negociators from the SNCF unions have failed to make headway and possible results will have to wait for the conclusion of the meeting scheduled this afternoon with Jean Mattieoli.

A violent fight broke out between thousands of striking miners in Lorraine and hundreds of police, reinforced by units of the CRS, involving tear gas and street weapons; with several hurt on both sides.

For the third time in a week, there were serious incidents between young people and the police in Nantes; following the large peacefull demonstration there yesterday.

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Updated 12/95