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Un/Employment

  • France: Millions of workers and students strike against Gaullist government
    29 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    By Rick Kelly and Antoine Lerougetel
    An estimated 2 to 3 million striking workers and students demonstrated in cities and towns throughout France yesterday in opposition to the Gaullist government’s “First Job Contract” (CPE-Contrat première embauche) legislation, which permits employers to dismiss young workers without cause or compensation during their first two years on the job.
    The largest rally was held in Paris, where 700,000 people marched in cold and wet conditions. Other large (…)

  • Mass protests on the streets of France, organisers of the marches claimed that three million people
    29 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    Organisers claim 3m people join marches Sarkozy floods Paris with 4,000 riot police
    by Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
    Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of France yesterday, disrupting schools and transport in a nationwide strike to pressure the prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, to withdraw his controversial new employment law.
    Organisers of the marches claimed that three million people joined marches with major demonstrations in Marseille, Bordeaux and a dozen (…)

  • French Union Threatens Strike Over Labor Law
    22 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    By JAMES KANTER
    PARIS - Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin of France faced an ultimatum from union leaders today to withdraw the employment law that set off huge nationwide demonstrations and sporadic violence over the weekend or face a general strike.
    After the protests ended in outbreaks of violence late Saturday, union leaders gave Mr. Villepin a deadline of Monday evening to withdraw the First Employment Contract, which was intended to make it easier for businesses to hire and fire (…)

  • Fearing More Unrest, French Leader Weighs Weakening Law
    21 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)
    1 comment

    By CRAIG S. SMITH
    Facing crippling strikes and growing civil unrest, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin today discussed with lawmakers watering down his contentious new labor law. But union leaders, who have refused to enter into a dialogue with the government until it has rescinded the law, showed no signs of budging on their promise to mount nationwide protests and strikes next week.
    "The basic demand of the youth and of employees is that the law be withdrawn," said Gérard (…)

  • French right looks to PM for way out of crisis
    21 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)
    3 comments

    By Jon Boyle
    PARIS - France’s ruling conservatives looked to Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to chart a way out of a youth jobs law crisis on Tuesday as the threat of a national strike and fresh protests kept up the pressure.
    The large public sector is expected to join a one-day work stoppage on March 28 and high school students took to the streets on Tuesday around France to demand Villepin withdraw the contract they say removes job security for young people.
    Deputies from the (…)

  • French unionist seriously injured
    21 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)
    2 comments

    Riot policemen drag away an unidentified unionist from the PTT-Sud who was seriously injured on the Nation square in Paris, Saturday, March 18, 2006, during clashes between protesters and riot policemen, following a students and unionists demonstration against the First Job Contract, known as CPE.
    The unionist was unconscious and in serious condition Monday, March 20, 2006, police and hospital officials said.
    The PTT-SUD union claimed the 39-year-old man had been "violently trampled by a (…)

  • Unions pile pressure on Villepin with threat of a national strike action
    20 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    By John Lichfield
    After a weekend of mass student demonstrations and scattered street battles, the French government faces the prospect of a prolonged social crisis unless it suspends its new youth jobs rules.
    Smelling political blood, trade union leaders will consider calls for a national strike unless the Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin, withdraws his "easy hire, easy fire" law for young, first-time, job-seekers.
    More than a million students, sixth-formers and sympathisers (…)

  • Red and Black Flag flies over Marseille Town Hall
    20 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    France, Marseille - March 18th 2006 - Organisers have reported over 130,000 demonstrators in the City of Marseille this afternoon, the largest demonstration outside Paris. The demonstration left the Porte D`Aix, under Marseilles own Arc de Triomphe at 3 p.m. to take a circular route around the city to arrive at the Vieux Port.
    As the crowds dispersed a small group of youths then left the main group and succeeded in entering the City Hall overlooking the port. To applause from others they (…)

  • French Union Leaders Threaten Strike
    19 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)

    By Philip White
    (EUNN) London - French union leaders threaten to strike over a contested jobs plan for youths that sparked violent protests in Paris over the weekend.
    French union leaders have given Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin until tomorrow night to withdraw the plan that would provide jobs for the young that critics of the jobs plan see as a reduction of older workers rights.
    Speaking on France-Inter radio, Bernard Thibault, head of the CGT union, said, "If the government (…)

  • More than 1.5 Million Demonstrators : Monsieur Prime Minister, Revoke Your CPE!
    19 March 2006 par (Open-Publishing)
    2 comments

    by UNEF (National Union of Students of France)
    Monsieur Prime Minister, revoke your CPE [Contrat Première Embauche — First Employment Contract]!
    Once again, the demonstrations against the CPE were an enormous success. More than one and half million people poured into the streets to make the Prime Minister understand that they want the revocation of the CPE, period.
    Demonstrators in many marches exceeded 10,000, nay 100,000: more than 350,000 people in Paris in fact, 130,000 in (…)