Strikes on French Ski Resorts

Many season lift workers refused to open ski lifts at 8 a.m. in Courchevel on Sunday. This action was some kind of a strike for their rights. This is explained by the next factors – the president of France Sarkozy wants to make the seasonal workers either find a permanent job or to find another season work.

The trouble is that many season workers in France were entitled to claim the dole in between the seasons but this year the situation changed a lot. If the season worker works for 3 seasons in a row, then he has no rights to claim the dole any more. That was the main reason for the strikes in many ski resorts that took place in such French ski resorts as Les Menuires, Val Thorens, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Les Deux Alpes and Flaine.

The main aim of the strikes was not to offend skiers by late opening of the ski lifts and spoil their ski vacation but to make the government to change the decision concerning the dole. That day many skiers were even offered juice and pastries while waiting for the lifts to open.

Of course, it is still a question if the seasonal workers will be able to change the situation for the better, but time will show.