Talks between French truck drivers' unions and employers ended without a deal early today, bringing France one step closer to a crippling transport strike and road blockade.
Union leaders, who had spent more than four hours locked in the negotiations with the employers, said they had failed to strike a deal over their demands for higher pay.
However, the talks will resume later today the transport ministry said, shortly after the main employers' federation said it was pulling out.
Mr Jean-Paul Deneuville, leader of the SNTR employers' group, said after the talks: "All the heads of companies of this country have been called rotten and been told they are without honour. Faced with such insults, they consider it is impossible to continue the discussion."
Unions plan to erect more than 180 roadblocks up and down the country from next Sunday evening if a strike is called.
France's neighbours are watching closely amid fears that the dispute could escalate into a stoppage on the scale of the 12day dispute last November, which caused road chaos for French and foreign drivers.
An employers' association official had said employers would "slightly fill out" proposals which failed to achieve a breakthrough on Wednesday, with "some details" being clarified. But he warned there would be no substantial new offer. "We have already reached the end of what we can do," he said.
Lorry-drivers are due to begin their action on Sunday night if no agreement is reached. Roadblocks at strategic points on the French road network would have serious repercussions for the entire European road transport industry as France is the principal transit country between northern and southern Europe.
The European Transport Commissioner, Mr Neil Kinnock, appealed on Wednesday for France to ensure free movement of international hauliers if a strike does take effect, to avoid the chaos caused by last November's action.
France's 200,000 lorry-drivers are seeking monthly pay of 10,000 francs (£1,160) for working 200 hours, a pay rise of 20 per cent. Employers' organisations have agreed to this goal, but only by the year 2000 and only for certain categories of drivers, which the unions have said is unacceptable.