Posted on 03/28/2006 7:54:52 AM PST by quantim
PARIS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of French transport workers, teachers and other employees staged a one-day national strike or marched through the streets on Tuesday to try to force the government to abandon a new youth job law.
The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors until the evening, commuters faced delays on trains and Paris underground rail services and airports were hit by stoppages in protest against Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's CPE First Job Contract.
Villepin, 52, stood firm over the plan but the strong turnout increased pressure on him to amend or withdraw the measure and calls for his resignation are growing.
"We're demanding the complete withdrawal of the CPE. You can't treat people like slaves. Giving all the power to the bosses is going too far," said Gregoire de Oliviera, a 21-year-old student in Paris.
Villepin hopes the CPE will reduce youth unemployment from almost 23 percent, but union and student leaders say it will create a generation of "throwaway workers" because it makes it easier to dismiss employees under 26 in a trial two-year period.
Tens of thousands of people rallied in Paris and organisers said 250,000 people took to the streets in Marseille, where banners read "We will not give up" and protesters daubed "Anti-CPE" on their faces.
In Grenoble, in the east, up to 60,000 people protested and 40,000 people protested in Pau in the southwest, unions said.
There were reports of isolated skirmishes but not on the same scale as violence that marred protests last week.
Villepin, a potential candidate in next year's presidential election, faces his biggest challenge since becoming prime minister last May.
Business leaders fear France's image will be damaged if protests continue and that investment and tourism could suffer, particularly because the crisis has erupted so soon after rioting by angry youths in French city suburbs late last year.
VILLEPIN APPEALS TO UNIONS
Unions refused to meet Villepin for talks on Wednesday but he renewed the invitation, telling parliament he was ready to compromise on two points -- the length of the trial period and the terms for giving notice.
"Useful time remains, let's use it for dialogue. But there is one thing that I will not accept ... that is to remain with my arms folded given youth unemployment about which you have never spoken before," he told jeering opposition deputies.
Villepin, a former foreign minister, also faces pressure from inside the ruling conservative Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) headed by Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, a likely rival for the 2007 presidential race.
The UMP parliamentary group on Tuesday backed Sarkozy's proposal that the government not rush to enforce the law and so leave the door open for further negotiations.
President Jacques Chirac, who has backed Villepin during the crisis, cancelled a trip to northern France planned for Thursday because of the situation, sources close to the president said.
Opinion polls show almost two-thirds of French people oppose the CPE. Even so, commuters were frustrated by the strike which caused delays on many rail lines.
"Why do you have to make all French suffer," French traveller Patricia said at Charles de Gaulle airport, where several flights were cancelled. "Fine that you're against the CPE. But why block the whole country, rather than talk?"
Mass street demonstrations are closely watched in France after protests over pensions reforms in 1995 which were widely credited with losing the conservatives the snap election called two years later -- in part on Villepin's advice.
Fears of a broader revolt have been fuelled by the incidents in Paris last week including looting, clashes with riot police and the mugging of student demonstrators by hardcore elements.
I think Villipan should change the law. He should extend the age limit to 40. That way the youth discriminjation is eliminated.
I think those are "hooded youths."
Looks to me like they are trying for a repeat.
The writing is on the walls like bright painted graffiti on Los Angeles barrio schools. "Viva La Raza! Viva Zapatistas!"
It's ok... looking closer the bottle appears to be opened/empty.
....not to mention the zombified look of the tosser.. lol
Rioting over some stupid law that any idiot can see hurts them more than helps them? This socialist mindset is unfathomable.
Larry Kudlow wrote about France's no work ethic:
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1604823/posts
I swear. the French have never gotten into the 20th century.
"let them eat cake!" Why don't they see the similarity here? The best of France came to the Americas in the 1700's. The rest, well we can all see the results.
I'm surprised they aren't burning effigies of GWB and Dick Cheney just on principle.
Just count the hooded ones.
susie
Whole lotta frog marchin' goin' on there ...
Wow, good catch! I blew up the photo - can't make out the label but the bottle has been opened.
There's a lot of French wine that needs to get dumped or turned into fuel, but this isn't one of them.
Lazy French losers!!!
This is not the only thing getting tossed. Say bon soire to the tourist market. I guess less wine needed for tourists.
Then they could become lifelong slackers.
I doubt these students will mind when the money to support their socialist lifestyle starts affecting the elderly and disabled. Grandpa, after all, isn't likely to take to the streets, joining throngs of other geriatrics, to protest cuts in their tax-funded pensions or health care.
Thanks. You are a Peach!!
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