The French love a strike but the one this week really took the biscuit as rail workers went on strike causing massive delays to Paris commuters.

They went on strike in support of two signalmen who were punished for being drinking rum cocktails on duty. One had joked about sending a train into an already occupied platform.

“So it went into a platform where there was already a train?” one of his colleagues asked.

“Yes. Luckily the bloke spotted it,” he replied

“The rum is starting to go to your head, huh?” said the first man

“Yeah, it’s a bit strange.” he replied

Here’s the kicker, the CGT union said the sanctions taken against the”partying workers” was “management repression” and that the workers had only drunk the rum after it had been used in a pan to cook crepes and therefore no longer alcoholic.

Last month a signalman was so drunk he set fire to his signal box. Management sent out a note to other staff urging them to

exercise “common sense” concerning aperitifs during work hours

Full story from The Telegraph here

As much as I rag of France they do have some useful ways of opening a bottle of wine.