Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008 Re:  French Ports - Strike A meeting to prevent a strike apparently went well, with the Minister clarifying how he intended to modernize, restructure and improve the competitiveness of French ports. However the primary Union, the CGT, disagreed with the main bone of contention - the transfer of dock workers from the Port Authorities to private terminal operators. They held a meeting yesterday and have announced today their intention to strike the equivalent of 24 hours a week from Monday, April 14, 2008. This could be one day a week, with each port (there are seven) choosing a day. We will let you know how this strike develops, and will assess the impact on shipments to the US. Best Regards, North American Shippers Association