French hold demos against government-proposed labor reforms
People flocked into the streets of several cities across France Tuesday in protest against unpopular labor reforms proposed by the Socialist government of President Francois Hollande.
Thousands of workers as well as high school and college students joined the demonstration in the capital, Paris, to demand the withdrawal of the proposed changes to the country's labor laws.
The event turned violent after some of the protesters began throwing projectiles at security forces and police responded with tear gas.
According to latest reports, police in Paris have arrested 130 people.
Serge Plechot, a representative of the CGT union, criticized the labor reforms, saying, "With this law they're encouraging people to hire but in fact making it easier to fire people."
"Of course we don't want the labor law, but then there's everything else. We don't want young people with no job security," said student protester Mathilde.
Other French cities, including Marseille, Lille, Nantes, Rennes and Strasbourg also witnessed similar protests.
In Rennes, police used tear gas against demonstrators, who threw projectiles at security forces and blocked traffic. The event in Nantes turned violent.
Protesters held banners and signs reading, "Youth precarious and angry," "Labour law : work hard and shut your mouth" and “Total withdraw of El-Khomri laws.”
The labor bill is commonly referred to as the El Khomri law after Labor Minister Myriam El Khomri.
The lower house of the French parliament is expected to take up the bill.
The proposal maintains the 35-hour workweek, but it allows companies to organize alternative working times without following industry-wide deals, up to a 48-hour workweek and 12 hours per day.
The initiative would further relax rules on layoffs. It would permit employees to work more than 35 hours a week without being paid overtime, but in exchange, workers would have more days off later on.
The French government argues that the labor reforms will reduce the country's unemployment rate, but opponents say they target safeguards that protect employees.
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