Summary
Demonstrations against the reform bill began on 9 March and led to a massive demonstration on 31 March, when nearly 400,000 people came out in protest across France. At least 40 people injured, including 29 police officers, and 58 arrests. And at least 75,000 demonstrators had convened in the capital as the upper house of parliament debated changes to employment laws. Besides, Student and several unions organized protests across the country, part of weeks of industrial action. In a separate protest, Air France pilots, rail workers and taxi drivers went on strike to demand better working conditions. The problem is that the labor reform makes it easier for employers to hire and fire workers and it would also relax the limit on working hours. The government forced the changes through the National Assembly last month without a vote.
Opinion
When I first read this article in the class, I thought that it is only natural that labors oppose a labor reform bill because Although this bill is concerned with the living, the government forced the changes without a vote. However, now I think the government had no choice but to do that. After looking into this labor problem in France, I understood that the president Hollande think a rigid labor market cause high unemployment rate. And dismissing the regular employee is so difficult in France. As a result, the government have to carefully employ the regular employee. So unemployment rate doesn’t improved. In addition, Paris is the most short working hours city in the world. I didn’t know this. The workers in the Paris need work only about six hours per day. I was so surprised this. I think maybe the France government had predicted that this labor reform bill will be opposed strongly, so they forced the changes without a vote.
In conclusion, I thought that jumping to the conclusion is dangerous and we need to read article carefully.