"Antibiotic use in animals is out of hand, " said Dr. Gail Hansen, a veterinarian and senior officer for the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, a project aimed at phasing out overuse of antibiotics in food production.

CNN: What government tests found in your meat

France's dilemma is described in a November report on competitiveness to the French government by Louis Gallois, the former chief executive officer of EADS. Bottom line: Unlike their counterparts across the Rhine, French industrial companies have ended up in the wrong segment of the global product markets.

WSJ: Euro's Recovery Not Without Pain for Some

Bob Lanning, regional officer for union Unite, said negotiations were ongoing in the hope of resolving the issues ahead of any industrial action.

BBC: Guernsey bus drivers may strike over rota changes