10/02/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

reputation enhanced. That's it. Starting on BBC Two now,

Good evening. Condor's French Jeremy Paxman

Good evening. Condor's French workers have now been on strike for

five days, meaning no sailings to France from the Channel Islands The

workers want their contracts changed from Guernsey terms to French ones

so they get better pay and social security benefits. Last Thursday,

the unexpected strike began, which left around 250 passengers bound for

the Channel Islands stuck in France. Sailings on Friday and over the

weekend were cancelled because of the strike and bad weather. And

today, negotiations continue on board the Condor ferry in St Malo

between the unions and Condor management with no end in sight to

the dispute. The disruption is now causing problems for Jersey

businesses too as Jen Smith reports. Destined for the Continent. If they

could get there. These crab and lobster would be sold for thousands

in Spain, Italy and Portugal, but they have to get through France

first. And with no ferry sailing to St Malo, it's put Tony Porritt out

of pocket. Rego do local so it is 90% plus export. We have to get into

France to distribute on to Italy and Spain from there. That's where we go

every week of the year, normally. If it carries on for any length of

time, we've had it. Tony estimates he's lost around

?20,000 every time a sailing has been cancelled. But it's not just

about money. This French shop has been left bare after an assistant

got stuck in France. She was sailing last Saturday to

pick up our next exhibition to display in our shop window here

Since then, she could not get back. There is a lot of adjustment. But

there's not much we can do, really. Condor boss James Fulford has spent

today on the Condor Rapide in St Malo negotiating with workers.

They're now demanding the boat is re`registered in France instead of

Guernsey. We need to persuade them that these

are massive changes they are demanding. Some of them may have

merit, but they cannot be done in the short term. They need to go back

to work while we negotiate. They are jeopardising the businesses of a lot

of people. And that includes Tony, who says if

the walk`out lasts much longer, his customers will follow suit.

Well, our reporter Simon Coss has been following the talks in St Malo

and sent this report earlier. The strike has been going on for

five days and there is no end in sight. The unions want registered

under French labour law. They say the contracts they currently have a

well below international standards. The two sides are talking, but there

is no sign of any deal yet. In other news, couples who've booked

their wedding in Jersey this year could lose their chosen date after a

computer error at the Register Office. Islanders who've booked a

registrar for a wedding or civil partnership are being asked to

reconfirm their booking. A Guernsey pedestrian safety group

has put up a banner outside the Vale Schools warning parents not to park

there. Living Streets campaigners say their sign, which reads "no

parking, no waiting, no excuses , is about making the area safer. It

could see parents facing on`the`spot fines for parking on yellow lines in

the area. 50 yards down the road, there is

plenty of parking space. It is only one or two Mac minutes to walk up to

the crossing. There are no excuses. All Jersey shops could be open on

Sundays this summer if the States agrees. A proposal is being made to

relax the law for an 18 month trial aimed at getting islanders spending

more in their local shops than online, as Emma Chambers reports.

First impressions may suggest it's spend spend, spend in St Helier but

latest figures show that may not be the case. Over 20 shops closed last

year and the amount of parcels arriving into the island from online

shopping has increased by 28%. But could Sunday trading be the answer

to boosting our economy? Currently, shops under 700 square metres can

trade. Now a proposal is being made to allow bigger stores to open. We

are seeking to get more people and more business going to look. Is

rather than off Ireland through the Internet. `` going to local stores.

The proposal is for an 18 month trial starting in June. So what do

shoppers think? Good idea, just like the rest of the world. My only

concern would be for the staff who have to work. Stay as it is.

This former Constable of St Helier says he's already tried opening

large supermarkets on a Sunday and it didn't work.

We had to stop it in the end, we had so many complaints. People were

saying to me, we have to put up with lorries delivering six days a week

because the supermarket, though it might be closed, they can't stop it.

Life is hell six days a week, don't make it seven.

In the end, it will be the States which decides if seven day shopping

is the direction the island will follow.

That is the late news from BBC Channel Islands. David Braine is

here next with our local forecast and the national weather follows

him. Goodnight. Hello, good evening. After some

brief brightness and sunshine today, it is all change again for tonight

and tomorrow. It could be quite a wet start, but the rain is moving

quite fast and then we shall see showers. A quiet start tonight.

Later, the cloud will increase and the wind will become strong to deal

forceful the rain will move through by lunchtime. By the afternoon, we

should see some sunshine, just a few showers borrowing the rest of the

day. Quite a cold wind. More wet weather possible on Wednesday,

another very windy day as well, severe gale`force wind is possible

on Wednesday. On Thursday, yet another area of low pressure coming

on Friday. The National forecast follows. Good night.

Good evening. You have my permission to complain about too many repeats

with the British weather at the moment because yet again it looks as

though our winter weather is set to continue with a repeat of last week.

Sunny spells and scattered showers today and this is the next area of

low pressure pushing in from the west. It influences our weather for

the rest of the week. More rain to come and gales and severe gales to

come. Ice is a possible risk. That means a cumulative total perhaps or

40-70 millimetres and that is an extra two to three inches. It will

exacerbate the flooding we have already got across England at the

moment. The cloud, wind and rain is already pushing in from the west.

There will be a widespread frost. Ice could be a problem first thing

in Northern Ireland. Snow in the hills and maybe in the North East of

Scotland we could see snow at lower levels. Rain through northern

England and Wales and Somerset. Some of that rain could be quite intense

coupled with squally, gusty winds on exposed coasts. In the east it

starts off relatively dry, but it will not be long before the wind and

the rain spreads further east. Up into the North the snow showers

continue on the hills, but by the end of the afternoon we could see

wet snow even at lower levels. A cold day. There is a potential for

some snow showers at lower levels across England and Wales on Tuesday

night and into Wednesday. On Wednesday it is this area of low

pressure which is the main factor in Wednesday's weather. More wet and

windy weather. An early amber warning has already been issued from

the South West. Severe gales are likely as we continue to see some

very wet weather coming into central and southern areas. The strongest

winds follow in behind those showers. In Scotland you are

probably wondering what the