Despite Protests, France Approves New Labor Law

[Frodo]

I wonder if this is France's equivalent of the stand-down between President Reagan and the air traffic controllers' union:

As France Approves Labor Law, Students Block Roads and Rails

By KATRIN BENNHOLD
International Herald Tribune
Published: March 30, 2006

PARIS, March 30 —France's Constitutional Council ruled this evening that a disputed labor law that has brought more than a million protesters into the streets was valid, setting the stage for further confrontation.

President Jacques Chirac is expected to make the law effective by signing it as early as Friday and will address the nation in the evening. He is also expected to propose round-table negotiations similar to those that helped end the student-worker uprising of May 1968, French news reports said.

The leader of the opposition Socialist Party, François Hollande, immediately warned that Mr. Chirac was opening the door to "a trial of strength."

Even as the nine-member council issued its ruling, students and unions opposed to the law kept up pressure on the government, blockading roads and railway tracks and resisting as the authorities moved to reopen high schools that have been shut down by protesting students.

On the face of it, the ruling represented a victory for Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, the architect of the law, which makes it easy to lay off employees up to the age of 26 within the first two years of their employment.

[opebo]

Very sad.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Does this mean the Socialists are poised to take the Assembly?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I wonder if this is France's equivalent of the stand-down between President Reagan and the air traffic controllers' union:

Non; French Unions are far weaker than American Unions are now let alone a quarter of a century ago.

[MODU]

It's a positive step for France.  They still have a long way to go.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

It's a positive step for France.  They still have a long way to go.

^^^^^^^^^^

[DarthKosh]

It's a positive step for France.  They still have a long way to go.

Soon they will have slave wages like the globalists want.

[??????????]

It's a positive step for France.  They still have a long way to go.

Soon they will have slave wages like the globalists want.

Change your avatar to Dumbass party-PA, immediately.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

It's a positive step for France.  They still have a long way to go.

Soon they will have slave wages like the globalists want.

how is that a bad thing? This is the french we're talking about

[Umengus]

Chirac said the law will be effective with changes (period brought back to 1 year and justification for the dismissal). Lots of pundits say that it's a operation to delete CPE.

Demonstrations go on.

I don't know very well the  Reagan vs controllers union case but I think that for the next gov, it will be very hard to change, with neoliberal reforms, France and I believe Sarkozy has understood that. Neoliberalism reforms (precarity,...)  are unpopular in France. It's obvious.

[Democratic Hawk]

I don't like it because it's discriminatory against those under 26. That said, I doubt I'd like it even if it wasn't. Employees should have rights and employers have obligations

Dave

[Yates]

Dominique de Villepin has ruined his chances of ever becoming French President.

[dazzleman]

I don't like it because it's discriminatory against those under 26. That said, I doubt I'd like it even if it wasn't. Employees should have rights and employers have obligations

Dave

But does an employer have an obligation to an employee who is not doing his/her job properly?

What you seem to support sounds like a general system of tenure, whereby it requires employers to spend huge amounts in legal fees to get rid of unproductive employees.

I'm surprised to see you take such a stand.

[MODU]

I don't like it because it's discriminatory against those under 26. That said, I doubt I'd like it even if it wasn't. Employees should have rights and employers have obligations

Dave

But does an employer have an obligation to an employee who is not doing his/her job properly?

What you seem to support sounds like a general system of tenure, whereby it requires employers to spend huge amounts in legal fees to get rid of unproductive employees.

I'm surprised to see you take such a stand.

I agree.  Companies should have just as much of a right to fire someone who isn't performing as employees have a right to find work.

[Gustaf]

The protestors seem like a bunch of idiots. They have no actual solution to the problems at hand. The thing here is that people want everything at once. They want BOTH security, high wages and lots of jobs and if they don't get it they'll sit on their asses and scream. Sheesh.

[Democratic Hawk]

I don't like it because it's discriminatory against those under 26. That said, I doubt I'd like it even if it wasn't. Employees should have rights and employers have obligations

Dave

But does an employer have an obligation to an employee who is not doing his/her job properly?

What you seem to support sounds like a general system of tenure, whereby it requires employers to spend huge amounts in legal fees to get rid of unproductive employees.

I'm surprised to see you take such a stand.

Ah right, I took this as giving the employer carte blanche permission to fire an employee at whim. Now that I would oppose, but if the employee is not doing his or her job properly, then there are grounds for dismissal; however, first of all, they need to find out whether there are extenuating circumstances affecting the employees capability to do the job and his or her performance in doing so

Still, I oppose this because it differentiates those under 26 from others

Dave

[Democratic Hawk]

The protestors seem like a bunch of idiots. They have no actual solution to the problems at hand. The thing here is that people want everything at once. They want BOTH security, high wages and lots of jobs and if they don't get it they'll sit on their asses and scream. Sheesh.

They are passionate I'll give you that.

In an ideal world, security, high wages and lots of jobs would be nice. It's just that find the social trauma created by neo-liberal reforms difficult to embrace; however, much needed. For an ideology, which is instinctively, anti-welfare they sure have, at times, led to an unacceptable level of welfare dependency. At least job security and higher wages goes someway towards reducing that

Dave

[MODU]

Still, I oppose this because it differentiates those under 26 from others

Dave

I agree on that point, which is why I said this was a step in the right direction.  I'm not sure what kind of culture shock France would undergo if the 26 year old line was not a part of the bill . . . stating that a company can fire anyone with due cause.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The protestors seem like a bunch of idiots.

Yep. The same goes for the French Government.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Yep. The same goes for the French Government.

One thing I will say though, is that is just wrong to have shedloads of Government protections for older workers and absolutely nothing (and in France it is absolutely nothing as the Unions are very weak in almost all respects) for the young. Isn't age discrimination illegal under E.U law anyway?

[Gustaf]

The protestors seem like a bunch of idiots.

Yep. The same goes for the French Government.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Yep. The same goes for the French Government.

One thing I will say though, is that is just wrong to have shedloads of Government protections for older workers and absolutely nothing (and in France it is absolutely nothing as the Unions are very weak in almost all respects) for the young. Isn't age discrimination illegal under E.U law anyway?

You have some points on the ineptitude of the French...however, I would say that for young people getting jobs is much, much more important than losing jobs. I mean, it's not like a 25-year old is aiming for life-long employment in his current work-place anyway. Because of that I think it's more reasonable to have looser laws for young people.

[Speed of Sound]

Does this mean the Socialists are poised to take the Assembly?

Well, they should at least be able to use this in thier favor.

[MODU]

France is now scrapping the law:

"France to scrap youth jobs law"

The French government has scrapped a controversial youth job law, bowing to weeks of million-strong protests with a change of heart likely to further undermine the image of the country's embattled Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.

Students and trades unions claimed victory after President Jacques Chirac announced the decision on Monday, but said they would remain mobilized until a substitute law was ratified.

De Villepin made an address on national television to express regret over the failure of the law that would have made it easier to hire and fire workers under the age of 26.

He announced that new measures in were being presented to parliament, a move welcomed by protesters

(Cont...)

[minionofmidas]

And the people have won.

[John Dibble]

And the people have won.

Whether or not the prize is beneficial is another matter.