Good news for Britain and American.
France's notoriously cowardly politcians have caved in to the demands of protesting, lazy French workers and students. They protested AGAINST a youth employment law that would have TACKLED France's high unemployment rate.
This, surely, will make France even LESS competitive in the world than it already is.
Unions and student leaders said it was "a great victory."
So what will they get now? A 20-hour work week and retirement at age 35?
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France to replace youth job law
Al Bibisiya, Monday, 10 April 2006, news.bbc.co.uk .
Millions have joined protests across France against the job law
French President Jacques Chirac has announced that the new youth employment law that sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests will be scrapped.
He said it would be replaced by other measures to tackle youth unemployment.
Millions of students and union members have taken to the streets over the last month in protest against the law, which made it easier to fire young workers.
Unions and student leaders said it was "a great victory" and were due to meet to decide if the protests should go on.
The law introduced a new work contract, known as the First Employment Contract or CPE for under-26s.
It was to allow a two-year trial period, during which employers could end a contract without explanation.
The plan to replace the legislation setting out the CPE was announced after a meeting between the president, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and other senior ministers on Monday.
'Dramatic situation'
Speaking in a live television address, Mr de Villepin said the president had accepted his proposed changes.
The new measures would aim to help the most disadvantaged young people find jobs, he said.
The prime minister said he was convinced that the only way of addressing joblessness in France was a better balance between flexibility for employers and security for employees.
"For some time the action of the government had been guided by one objective, to provide thousands of young people from our society with opportunities for jobs," he said.
"I wanted to act very quickly because the dramatic situation and the despair of a number of young people warranted it.
"This was not understood by everyone, I'm sorry to say," said Mr de Villepin, who saw his poll ratings decline during the two-month crisis.
There had been calls for Mr de Villepin to resign because he was so closely identified with the employment law but correspondents say he made it clear he intends to stay in office.
His goal now, he said, was to work for the future of the country, adding that he hoped all French people would work together.
Demands
Union leaders had given the government until Easter weekend to withdraw the law or face a repeat of the recent general strikes.
Mr de Villepin has seen his popularity fall during the crisis
Several groups indicated that their conditions had been met, the French news agency AFP reported.
Student leader Julie Coudry called for protesters to lift blockades at dozens of universities so students could prepare for their end-of-year exams.
"The CPE is dead, the CPE is well and truly finished," she said.
But some students appeared unwilling to abandon their protest.
Many had wanted the entire law to be revoked, not just the artcile introducing the employment contract.
"Our demands have not really been met," Lise Prunier, a student at the Univerity of Paris-Jussieu told the Associated Press.
France's notoriously cowardly politcians have caved in to the demands of protesting, lazy French workers and students. They protested AGAINST a youth employment law that would have TACKLED France's high unemployment rate.
This, surely, will make France even LESS competitive in the world than it already is.
Unions and student leaders said it was "a great victory."
So what will they get now? A 20-hour work week and retirement at age 35?
-------------------------------------------------------
France to replace youth job law
Al Bibisiya, Monday, 10 April 2006, news.bbc.co.uk .
Millions have joined protests across France against the job law
French President Jacques Chirac has announced that the new youth employment law that sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests will be scrapped.
He said it would be replaced by other measures to tackle youth unemployment.
Millions of students and union members have taken to the streets over the last month in protest against the law, which made it easier to fire young workers.
Unions and student leaders said it was "a great victory" and were due to meet to decide if the protests should go on.
The law introduced a new work contract, known as the First Employment Contract or CPE for under-26s.
It was to allow a two-year trial period, during which employers could end a contract without explanation.
The plan to replace the legislation setting out the CPE was announced after a meeting between the president, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and other senior ministers on Monday.
'Dramatic situation'
Speaking in a live television address, Mr de Villepin said the president had accepted his proposed changes.
The new measures would aim to help the most disadvantaged young people find jobs, he said.
The prime minister said he was convinced that the only way of addressing joblessness in France was a better balance between flexibility for employers and security for employees.
"For some time the action of the government had been guided by one objective, to provide thousands of young people from our society with opportunities for jobs," he said.
"I wanted to act very quickly because the dramatic situation and the despair of a number of young people warranted it.
"This was not understood by everyone, I'm sorry to say," said Mr de Villepin, who saw his poll ratings decline during the two-month crisis.
There had been calls for Mr de Villepin to resign because he was so closely identified with the employment law but correspondents say he made it clear he intends to stay in office.
His goal now, he said, was to work for the future of the country, adding that he hoped all French people would work together.
Demands
Union leaders had given the government until Easter weekend to withdraw the law or face a repeat of the recent general strikes.
Mr de Villepin has seen his popularity fall during the crisis
Several groups indicated that their conditions had been met, the French news agency AFP reported.
Student leader Julie Coudry called for protesters to lift blockades at dozens of universities so students could prepare for their end-of-year exams.
"The CPE is dead, the CPE is well and truly finished," she said.
But some students appeared unwilling to abandon their protest.
Many had wanted the entire law to be revoked, not just the artcile introducing the employment contract.
"Our demands have not really been met," Lise Prunier, a student at the Univerity of Paris-Jussieu told the Associated Press.
