Newsstands empty due to protests

FRENCH national papers and magazines have not been delivered to the newsstands across the country today as protesting employees blocked distribution.

Workers at Presstalis, a firm distributing more than 100 newspapers and several thousand magazines, are upset over plans for layoffs.

They occupied many of the firm’s 120 depots and blocked several processing centres as well as going on strike at Presstalis subsidiary Société de Presse Paris Service.

As a result France’s 20 largest urban areas have been deprived of papers and magazines today – a day when many weeklies magazines normally hit the stands.

Negotiations with bosses and unions have been taking place at several sites.

The unions refuse forced lay-offs or plans for certain tasks to be outsourced. They are also disgruntled that a planned meeting at the Elysée with President Hollande’s staff has been put off

until January, officially because of diary reasons.