Strike Paralyzes Casablanca Port

A strike by approximately 3,000 civil servants and dockworkers stretched into its sixth day Tuesday, and continued to halt operations at Morocco's main port of Casablanca. The stoppage at the port, which handles 70 percent of the country's cargo traffic, began last Thursday after unions accused the state-run ports authority ODEP of back-tracking on an agreement over pay hikes and other benefits.

According to the unions, about 50 vessels have been unable to unload. A senior ODEP official said the port authority was holding talks with workers' representatives to end the strike. He declined to give further details.