Archaeologists from public agencies across France staged protests in Paris, Strasbourg, and Lyons, worried that the quality of rescue archaeology would deteriorate in the hands of private contractors. At present, nearly all such work is done by the Association for National Archaeological Excavations (AFAN), a quasi-public group that employs archaeologists from public agencies. Turning rescue archaeology over to the free market, asserts one AFAN member, creates the danger that "it wouldn't be archaeology anymore, it would just be digging."

Culture ministry spokesperson Jean-Paul Ciret told Science that the government never intended to turn to private contractors, but only wanted to end AFAN's "de facto monopoly" and be able to award contracts directly to archaeology research units at public universities and government agencies. At a 7 October meeting with strike representatives, Trautmann promised that no projects would go to private contractors and also agreed to propose legislation to turn AFAN into a fully public agency--a move archaeologists have been demanding for some years (Science, 7 February 1997, p. 746). The strikers, for their part, agreed that the government could bypass AFAN at times and award contracts directly to other public agencies on the basis of scientific merit. New legislation is expected to be ready by the end of the year.