France to reconsider labor reforms
The French government has apparently retreated on a proposed labor reform plan aimed at helping businesses lay off workers with less difficulty.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Monday that a new round of consultations will be held on the proposed labor reform plans.
"Probably over the next week I will meet with all social partners, labor unions and employers' organizations, one by one," Valls told reporters.
Valls added that via the consultations, he hoped to bring the parties together with the labor and economy ministers, Myriam El Khomri and Emmanuel Macron, to renew discussion on the reform plans.
El Khomri defended the reforms, claiming they were aimed at boosting competitiveness and protect jobs.
Macron responded by saying Valls wants to reserve the right to change the labor legislation if necessary.
The proposed labor reform plans that were unveiled in mid-February have been met with loads of criticism from trade unions who claim the proposals are unfair to the workers.
The proposed bill would allow companies to demand workers to stay 48 hours a week and do 12-hour shifts.
The submission of the proposals to the cabinet has been postponed from March 9 to March 24, a government source told AFP.
Christian Paul, the leader of Socialist dissidents in parliament, said on Monday, "What we need today is to withdraw (the proposals) for a deep re-write, and not a postponement."
The reforms are part of government measures to fight record unemployment levels in a country where employers are loath to take on permanent workers, as letting them go can be near impossible.
Critics, however, have complained the measures would dismantle one of the key job guarantees for French workers. Currently French companies have to justify in court plans to shed workers due to an economic downturn, a process they have complained makes it difficult and expensive to lay off workers when the economy slows and ultimately makes them reluctant to hire.
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