In France, Labor Loves a Strike

We’re predicting a transit melt-down in Paris tomorrow, October 18, with SNCF railway employees walking off the job, and Air France and Paris airport workers expected to strike in sympathy. Because this is France, the strike list also includes opera singers, teachers, electricity and gas workers and civil servants.

Metro, RER commuter rail, bus and tram services will likely be unavailable, and both Eurostar and Thalys, operators of high-speed rail lines, have said that they expect to reduce their routes to France by as much as 40 percent.

The International Herald Tribune quotes a Eurostar spokesman who says, "We are advising anyone who doesn't have to travel Thursday not to do so at all.”

Those are strong words, especially from a travel exec.

If that’s not enough, the French worry the strike could affect the rugby World Cup final, scheduled for Oct. 20. Business travel might feel the heat, but nobody messes with rugby.

For more on the strikes, straight from France:

The latest Expedia update:

Germany Faces Second Round of Train Woes

Perhaps the Germans are watching the French, with the country's latest round of rail strikes coinciding with massive industrial action in France. The latest move follows Deutsche Bahn’s most recent pay raise offer, which was soundly rejected by the Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivfuehrer (GDL) trade union.  GDL has threatened to strike from Oct. 18 until its demands are met, and it’s likely the trains will be off course though at least Oct. 24.  While delays can be expected, Deutsche Bahn expects to provide 60 percent of its normal service by calling in substitute drivers and adding bus routes.

For more on the strike:

The latest Expedia update: