Paris:- Saturday, 30. November 1996:- All week Parisians lived in suspense as the striking truck drivers formed blockades ever closer to the city. Last weekend large parts of southern France were fully blockaded, and there were ample reports of barricaded fuel depots and of gas stations with empty reservoirs.

As the week wore on, as negotiations continued - usually starting late at night and going through to morning - spokesmen for the government were saying, 'We've given in a little bit more, so why don't they get rolling?' and union spokesman for the truckers were saying, 'They've given in a bit more; but we must consult with the rank and file.'

When 'consulted,' the truck drivers, outside in the weather - rain, near freezing, and snow in higher regions - said, 'Not good enough.' And then they would blockade something else.

Late in the week, real progress began after the truckers surrounded the main fuel depot in Rouen. The maps printed daily in Le Parisien then showed clearly that all the major fuel depots supplying Paris were effectively closed - unable to make deliveries.

On Thursday afternoon, my local gas station had no unleaded regular or super gasoline left. Having an old car, I pumped 300 francs-worth of leaded super into it. One 'pompiste' took advantage of the situation and charged seven francs a litre for everything he had hoarded until the time was ripe.

Meanwhile, on France's borders and across the channel in Britain, trucks waiting for passage to or through France stacked up in huge lines - pointing out the historical fact that in Europe, all roads invariably pass through France. British trucking groups began demanding compensation from Brussels.

Big manufacturing complexes in France began to close down; victims of their cost-efficient 'just-on-time-delivery' of parts and components - that were not being delivered by truck. Peugeot hired a big helicopter to fly in parts.

To end the suspense, today's headline in Le Parisien says, 'Truckers - the Strike that Paid Off' which neatly sums up the situation. This followed the even more interesting Friday headline, which asked, 'Who is Governing?'

The working conditions of most truckers have often been described in the last couple of weeks, as 'mediaeval.' For example, they were not paid for the times that a truck was immobile - for loading or unloading. Truckers routinely work 240 hours a month on long-distance routes, while short-haul truckers may work as much as 300 hours. One of the issues of the strike was that they were not always paid for all of this time.

One of the measures agreed to by the trucking association is the payment of a bonus of 3,000 francs to each driver - as sort of a catch-up for under-payment for past overtime work. Many smaller operators do not know how they are going to pay this - nor does anybody know who exactly is going to pay for the ensemble of the new benefits won by the truckers.

This is what it says in the papers. When all is said and done, it is always users who pay for everything. You, me and the other guy.

It Probably Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

France's 'rocker national,' Johnny Hallyday, played Las Vegas for the first and only time last Sunday night, at 8:30 pm, Nevada time. Prepared to electrify America and his city of dreams, he imported 6,000 French fans to fill the rooms at the Aladdin Hotel, where he played second on the billboard after 'Country Tonite.'

According to Le Parisien, he failed to generate enough current for an average Vegas neon sign, failed to shake Vegasto the doors of the desert like Elvis Presley did every time he passed. Paying homage to Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Elvis - naturally - Eddie Cochran and Ricky Nelson - Johnny failed also to bring these phantoms to life. Mixing new songs written for the occasion - unknown to his imported public - with old hits of his, he seemed unable to create the emotion or the magic - anticipated by about six months of hype for the show.