# Seafrance strike?



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Heard traffic news today & yesterday - it seems they're stacking trucks on the M20 because of a Seafrance strike. I haven't seen anything on any news bulletins. Does anybody know what it's about (probably protesting about removal of generous pension rights) , and how long it's likely to last?
We're booked on Seafrance next Friday (14th), so being totally selfish


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Hi Mike it was industrial action and high winds causing it at weekend..

Quite sure you'll be ok by firday 14th


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## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Mike, also, from Directferries.co.uk



> Major roadworks affecting journey times to Dover Ferry Port
> Date: 1 Mar 2008
> Source: Highways Agency
> 
> ...


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

or even Friday  :roll:


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## monkton (Dec 10, 2007)

Hello Mike, I cannot add any further to the issue over the Seafrance strike but you may also wish to be aware that there are major roadworks on the A20 between Folkestone and Dover which will affect your journey even assuming that the strike is over.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

bognormike said:


> Heard traffic news today & yesterday - it seems they're stacking trucks on the M20 because of a Seafrance strike. I haven't seen anything on any news bulletins. Does anybody know what it's about (probably protesting about removal of generous pension rights) , and how long it's likely to last?
> We're booked on Seafrance next Friday (14th), so being totally selfish


The cause of the problem is in Calais
From BBCnews/Kent:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7278699.stm

From 02/03/08
"SeaFrance is working to end the action as soon as possible and contact between the parties is ongoing," said a spokeswoman.

"However the union demands amount to the equivalent of an 25% increase in salary costs over three years, which the company considers excessive and is not in a position to consider."


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I've just got an e-mail reply from Seafrance after enquiring about our booking for Friday (I tried phoning, but hung on for ages & gave up)

The response was:-

"Unfortunately, all of our sailings have currently been suspended until Wednesday 12th March due to Industrial Action & negotiations are currently taking place. In the unlikely event that this industrial action is not resolved, we would endeavor to transfer you to an alternative carrier, subject to availability. With this in mind, you would simply need to check-in with SeaFrance as normal where the alternative arrangements would then be made."

It's all right if we can turn up at 7:30 on Friday morning and get shifted on to P&O or Norfolk line with minimal delay, but for a quick weekend away, I don't want to spend too long waiting around. Has anybody else got similar problems? If they were to offer alternative dates we may be interested, but only in advance - I'm not going to Dover & then be offered another date


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## sallym (Jun 11, 2007)

Hi all,

Does anyone have any more news on this strike- we are booked to travel over with sea france, but not for another 2 weeks, so hopefully it will all be settled by then...


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Sea France*

We had similar situation a couple of years ago. Checked in with Sea France and they put us on Eurotunnel. Great.

Steve


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## alunj (Sep 5, 2007)

The strike is still on. We are supposed to go next week on Good Friday.
I have made a refundable booking with Brittany further west as the dover Calais carriers seem very busy over easter and i guess their own customers will get preferential space . Wonder if I can reclaim some of the cost from SF ? ( I posted over on the the roads thread too but I guess here is more relevant.)


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

well we got there at 7:00am on Friday morning, after getting snarled up on the roundabouts of Dover with trucks trying to get in & out. We tried to get in the Seafrance lanes for check in, but the trucks were nose to tail in the Norfolk line lanes & couldn't get in. We had to park in the NL area, walked across to the Sf check in (!), and we were booked on to P&O, and had to go across to P&O's check in with a voucher. Not easy when we had to explain to the girl on the NL desk that we wanted to go through to P&O :roll: So we had to go out of the port again, and back in through to P&O, by which time somebody was stopping the trucks snarling up the whole port. We got on the 8:25 P&O ferry, only a bit later than originally booked for SF. 

Coming back, the strike was over & we turned up at just before 2:00pm for 3:15 sailing - the guy said we can go on the next sailing (in 15 mins) for an extra £14; we told him to stuff it & waited for our booked trip. Obviously they're trying to make a few quid after a couple of weeks without revenue! :roll: :x


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