French Protest New Labor Law

[Marcellus]

Villepin can shove his CPE (new employment law) up his you-know-where. If he wants less youth unemployment, let him make a law that relaxes employment rights for over-26s. They are the problem. Holding on to jobs for thirthy years without actually doing anything for the last 25 years. Oh, the number of times some lazy old guy, who has lost all interest in his job since 1979, made me wait for three weeks for a bloody stamp, when any ambitious 22 year old could have done it in five minutes.

That's exactly my position. I don't see why someone over 26 should be difficult to fire if they do their job badly but someone under 26 should be able to be fired easily.

[JAG]

It is not wrong for people to want to have some form of security in their jobs. Americans might think it is fine for people to work on wages which are so disgustingly low people need to work 18 hours a day to make ends meat and have people fired not because they are rubbish in their jobs, but simply because big business wants even bigger profits, but I thought in Europe we did things differently. As a result of doing things differently we have a much fairer society and France should be proud of the way they do things. Being 'competitive' internationally is not the only measure of a country, you do not have to be a world leader economically to offer a good life for your citizens, just look at the scandinavian countries. A measure of a country is how you treat those most vulnerable in your society and how fair society is to all, not how much money the top earners are making.

People - especially those starting in their careers: 20 - 26 year olds - should have job security if they have done nothing wrong. When a business takes someone on they have to honour the contract they give to the person they employ, if they are not sure they can manage to have an extra worker there is a simple answer, don't employ one! People talk about giving flexibility and being fair on business but what about worker flexibility and fairness, government and society should not pander to business but should look after workers, without workers after all, business can't make their disgustingly huge profits.

If the law goes through French society looses, if you want an American system you will inevitably have to go the whole way, one law makes little difference. The reliance on simply economic outlooks on society leads to an unfair and disproportional society, which is to the detriment of everyone.

[Upxl]

With good talking socialism I totally forgot to give my opinion.

Although this law could (I’m saying could) make production rise with probably a very small percentage.
I fail to understand how this solves the youth work problem.
Besides this will lead to enormous abuse.
Firing for no reason at all does happen and more then you think.
Just annoyed by the young boy’s face could be a reason for that person to loose his job.
I’m completely against this law and like JAG said I feel it isn’t a very proud day to be a European.