French Dockworkers Suspend “Dead Port” Strike Amid Government Talks

French dockworkers’ unions have decided to temporarily suspend their planned “dead port” strike scheduled for March 18 in an effort to ease tensions with the government. The unions, representing workers at major industrial ports, made this decision following a recent meeting with government officials, where they expressed hope for progress in resolving a longstanding dispute over reforms to France’s retirement policies.

Since January, dockworkers and port employees have been engaging in a series of strikes as part of a protest against the government’s reforms to the national retirement project, initiated back in 2023. One of the key reforms that sparked controversy was the decision to raise the national retirement age from 62 to 64.

The unions are advocating for their industry to be exempt from these retirement changes, citing the physically demanding nature of their profession as justification for special consideration.

Initially, the Federation National des Ports et Docks had planned a strike for March 18, which would have paralyzed activities at the ports of Le Havre and Rouen, with potential disruptions to cross-channel ferry operations to England. Previous strikes since January have ranged from short stoppages to multi-day strikes, with a particularly impactful action on February 27 that halted most cross-channel ferry services for the day. The unions had announced plans to escalate their actions in March, culminating in a 72-hour strike.

Following the recent meeting with government representatives, the unions reported a more positive outlook, with the government showing willingness to engage in dialogue and uphold previous commitments. The unions had accused the government of failing to respond to earlier promises and delaying further talks until 2027.

While the unions have decided to pause their strike for now, they have scheduled a general meeting for March 25 to assess progress. Leaders have indicated that if the government fails to honor its commitments to dockworkers, they may resume industrial actions in April to push for their demands.