By Doug Cunningham

France’s Trade Union Congress – the CGT labor federation – is supporting 45 Teamsters on strike against Paris-based Arkema in Pennsylvania. The CGT vows to stand with the Teamsters in a struggle against pay cut demands, health care concessions and retirement benefits cuts. The Teamster Arkema strike is in its eighth week. The CGT says French workers know that the company is trying to divide workers by national borders in an effort to drive down wages, benefits and retirement security for its employees worldwide. Arkema makes resins used by Harley-Davidson and Nike among others. In 2004 it had global sales of $6 billion dollars.