France labour law reforms strikes & protests

[Ghost Dog]

Some say French people are warming up ready for another May '68-style Spring...

France was set for a fresh day of protests over labour reforms on Thursday, in yet another challenge for the embattled government of President François Hollande.

The protests led by student groups and labour unions coincide with strikes by air traffic controllers that are expected to cause travel chaos for thousands of passengers...

... Hollande has vowed not to run again if he cannot put a dent in the country's stubbornly high unemployment figures – long stuck at around 10 percent – and hoped the modest labour reforms would encourage firms to hire more people.

But pressure from the street and parliament's back benches caused the government to water down the proposals so that they only apply to large firms.

A recent poll found that 58 percent of the French public still opposed the measures...


http://m.france24.com/en/20160331-france-braces-strike-protests-labour-reforms-el-khomri

Paris commuters along with rail and air passengers around France were facing disruption and delays due to strikes by transport workers on Thursday. Here’s all the latest.

Main details:

Three quarters of Metro services running in Paris
RER and Francilien commuter trains running half of usual services
20 percent of flights cancelled out of Paris Orly airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to see delays rather than cancellations
Nearly 400km of traffic jams on roads around Paris
TGV services and regional TER trains also hit by strike
This useful map shows walking times between Metro stations in Paris
Protests planned around the country against labour reforms
Eiffel Tower closed as workers join strike
Good luck...

... Transport is only one area affected by Thursay's national day of protest against the labour reforms as school pupils and students, hospital workers in Paris, postal workers and members of the press and TV also on strike.

Postal services and TV scheduling will likely be disrupted. While printers also joining the strike means there'll be no copies of French newspapers on Thursday....


http://www.thelocal.fr/20160331/trains-and-flights-hit-by-french-transport-strike

Some reform-minded unions have given their support to proposed changes to France’s famously stringent labour laws, but tens of thousands of students and workers took to the streets a week ago, angry over plans to make it easier for struggling companies to fire workers.

Cars were burned in Paris and more than 30 people arrested as protesters clashed with police, who responded with tear gas.

Organisers have threatened an even bigger day of demonstrations on Thursday. Parliament is set to vote on the reforms in late April or early May.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/31/french-air-traffic-strike-flights-paris-orly-marseille-cancelled

... The bill puts almost all aspects of France’s strictly codified rules on labour relations up for negotiation. Everything from the maximum number of work hours to overtime pay to holidays would be open to scrutiny, but the main focus is on plans to limit the cost of laying off workers.

The government and business leaders say the reforms will encourage companies to give more workers permanent contracts rather than temporary ones, but unions and some on the left of the Socialist Party disagree and instead see a threat to job security.

The proposal technically maintains the 35-hour workweek but allows workers to negotiate longer working schdules, up to 46 hours per week for 16 weeks. In "exceptional circumstances", employees could work up to 60 hours a week.

To allow companies to deal with busy periods, one measure would allow employees to work more than 35 hours without being paid overtime in exchange for more days off. Other measures would relax the rules on layoffs and working from home and at night...


http://m.france24.com/en/20160309-france-students-unions-protest-khomri-labour-reforms-unemployment-strike