French Dockworkers Strike Over Budget Measures and Militarisation of Ports

French dockworkers launched a 24-hour strike Friday, October 30, joining colleagues across 22 countries to oppose the use of ports for arms shipments and protest France’s draft budget. More than 25 unions backed the action across 113 ports. French terminals were expected to halt operations, with the CGT union predicting ports would be “95 percent shut down.” Workers were told not to load or unload cargo. The union said budget measures threatened solidarity systems and opposed militarisation and arms transfers.