Job protests grip French cities

[method77]

Tens of thousands of people have begun marches in French towns and cities to protest against a new law making it easier to dismiss young workers.

Organisers expect up to one million people at rallies from Marseille in the south to Lille in the north.

The government says the law will reduce high youth unemployment but opponents fear it will entrench job insecurity.

Protests in Paris earlier in the week resulted in hundreds of arrests

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[Malicious Intent]

I'm surrounded by French people here in Ireland because none of them can get jobs in France. Despite being the well educated ones, they do all the crappy work, like Mexicans in America. They handle baggage at the airport, work in a call centre, or act as an extra pair of hands in a warehouse.

They must know their country is in trouble when they are competing for the same jobs as the Polish.

I'm no expert on the French economy, but it seems to me that lack of labour market flexibility is a large contributing factor. Countries can not survive in the global economy with the old "a job is for life" attitude.

I also think it is sad that the French youth aspire to nothing more than a job being for life. Same thing for 40 years, forever waiting for the person above you to be promoted, retire or get hit by a bus? No thanks.

[method77]

It is very simple if you think of it. An economy that reached the top (like Germany) has to come down sometime. The law that they are trying to pass is pretty simple if you think of it but it's really hard for the french to swallow. The same will happen to the rest of us (EU) but the French are always the ones that take the punch first.

N. America already has similar laws but noone said anything when those laws were passed

I may repeat myself sometimes but it's the way capitalism works.

[Malicious Intent]

What do you mean the French are always the first to take the punch?! The English did it in the 1980's, lead by Thatcher.

You'll be saying next that they are the ones taking first punch on moving the EU away from farming towards technology.

Britain gave up billions of extra € to the EU to try and persuade the French to reform CAP and invest the money in the future, not farms.

Socialism is nice and all, but you can take it too far. France are holding back the EU, not leading the way.

[DudeAsInCool]

Here is a slide show from Yahoo:

French Protest

[method77]

What do you mean the French are always the first to take the punch?! The English did it in the 1980's, lead by Thatcher.

You'll be saying next that they are the ones taking first punch on moving the EU away from farming towards technology.

Britain gave up billions of extra € to the EU to try and persuade the French to reform CAP and invest the money in the future, not farms.

Socialism is nice and all, but you can take it too far. France are holding back the EU, not leading the way.

I meant Euro zone Mike and Britain is not part of it. I forgot to mention that. The countries that are in that zone have to follow similar policies.

Right, Britain is trying to change the way EU works but not all agree. France holding up the Eu is not exactly correct.

Anyway, I'm somewhere in the middle. I think both sides have some good points.

[Malicious Intent]

I'm sure your opinion would sway if it were your tax money paying for it ;)

[method77]

what do you mean?

[Malicious Intent]

I mean that if Greece was a net contributer to the EU, you may have different feelings about how France is spending money.

Money the French are spending propping up farms at a cost to Africa (while banning imports from England) could be better spent in countries like Estonia.

Meanwhile, they support state-owned and private companies through illegal subsidies.

I don't see how their economic policies could possibly be helping the EU.

[DudeAsInCool]

:I gotta see this:

[method77]

No argument there. Mike is focusing on one subject and he is right on that one

There are other issues that are important for a nation and not important for others. 25 countries can agree on all. It's not possible.

[DudeAsInCool]

In this country, the President decides all the issues... :reallymad:

[method77]

...and a fine job he is doing

[The Hunter]

More like clouds all the issues.