France: Job-Saving Offer in Bid to End Port Crisis

The French government unveiled proposals on Thursday to save local ferry jobs and end a stand-off in the port of Calais in northern France that has repeatedly disrupted traffic in the Channel Tunnel.

Some 500 workers at ferry service MyFerryLink have blocked traffic around the port in a protest aimed at preventing job cuts after their company, previously owned by Eurotunnel , was sold to a Danish company, DFDS.

The Transport Ministry proposals include a commitment by Eurotunnel to establish a ferry charter contract that will save 150 jobs. DFDS will also hire 230 MyferryLink workers and the ministry said it would seek employment options for remaining workers within three months.

It added that the proposals were on the table until July 27 and that all parties involved would have to accept them in full or reject the deal. (Reporting by Matthias Blamont