Truckers' protest may hit deliveries

TRUCK drivers are threatening to block roads and access to parcel depots and industrial estates later this week, bringing possible disruption to Christmas travel and deliveries.

Rungis wholesale food market on the outskirts of Paris, which supplies fresh food to shops and restaurants across large parts of France, is among the locations that could be targeted in the protest.

Other strategic roads, warehouses and logistics centres could also be blockaded. The CFDT union claims the turnout will be "massive" - with most of the protests planned for Thursday and Friday, December 18-19.

Unions are calling for a pay rise, with a guaranteed hourly wage of at least €10, plus the payment of a 13th month of salary at the end of each calendar year.

They say transport firms can afford the rise now that petrol prices are lower and the threat of the écotaxe on polluting transport has been scrapped.

CFDT Route general secretary Thierry Cordier said: "This is the only means we have to be heard and understood. It's bad news for households, but we want to defend our members' interests first and foremost."