Marseille binmen call off strike

BINMEN in Marseille have called off their strike and have begun clearing an estimated 10,000 tonnes of rubbish that have piled up on the streets for the past week.

The walkout at private collection firm Bronzo started last Thursday, when the company learned it was set to lose its contract at the end of December.

However the protest was called off on Wednesday night after the city council agreed to cancel plans to put the contract out to tender.

Marseille agglomeration president Eugène Caselli had accused Bronzo of "taking the city hostage" and causing a major public health risk with the strike action.

Libération and 20 Minutes could not resist labelling the story "Poubelle la Vie", a nod to the long-running France 3 soap Plus Belle La Vie which is based in Marseille.