French unions, employers agree changes to labour laws

viewings icon comments icon

ПОДЕЛИТЬСЯ

whatsapp button telegram button facebook button

French President Francois Hollande led a chorus of approval after unions and employers reached a deal on reforms to the country's complex labour laws after more than three months of talks, AFP reports. The measures are designed to give more flexibility to employers who have long complained of the red tape strangling the French economy. But it will also offer more protection to employees, a key concern of France's unions. The national agreement requires the support of at least three of the five main union confederations for it to be ratified: late Friday, three of them appeared to back it, the other two strongly opposed. Hollande welcomed the agreement as a success for social dialogue. "This agreement will mean new advances for the workforce," he said, calling on the government to press ahead with getting the proposals drawn up into a bill. Both the unions and employers are due to formally approve the deal in the coming days. But leaders on both sides seemed satisfied with the agreement and ready to recommend it to their respective constituencies. If that happens, the measures will go before the French cabinet on March and from there to parliament, with the government hoping it can be entered into law by the end of May. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault expressed his satisfaction at the breakthrough, saying it struck a "balance between the security needed by workers and the adaptability that companies need". Laurence Parisot, head of the employers federation MEDEF, said the deal "marks the arrival of a culture of compromise after decades" of antagonism. And Laurent Berger, general secretary of the CFDT trades union, also welcomed what he called "an ambitious agreement" and said it would boost employment. Another union leader, Joseph Thouvenel of the CFTC, said that what they had obtained was not perfect, but he would nevertheless give a favourable report on it at a meeting of his union's executive next week. Marie-Francoise Leflon of the CFE-CGC union described the agreement as a balanced deal. The other two main trades unions, the CGT and Force Ouvriere (FO), both came out against the deal. "It's a dark day for employees' rights," said Stephane Lardy of FO, denouncing the deal. Talks had dragged on between unions and three employers federations since October 4. The breakthrough appeared to come on Friday when the employers backed from tax measures on contract workers that had become a deal-breaker with the unions. The deal allows employers to cut working hours and salaries during hard times as well as making the process of laying off staff both less costly and less complicated. On the other side, employees gained more rights, including better health cover and unemployment benefits. The deal will come as a welcome relief to the Socialist government. France is one of the last countries in Europe to reform its labour market in this way and has been under the scrutiny of the international ratings agencies for some time. Hollande has stressed the need for social dialogue as the key to economic reform.

whatsapp button telegram button facebook button
Иконка комментария блок соц сети
French President Francois Hollande led a chorus of approval after unions and employers reached a deal on reforms to the country's complex labour laws after more than three months of talks, AFP reports. The measures are designed to give more flexibility to employers who have long complained of the red tape strangling the French economy. But it will also offer more protection to employees, a key concern of France's unions. The national agreement requires the support of at least three of the five main union confederations for it to be ratified: late Friday, three of them appeared to back it, the other two strongly opposed. Hollande welcomed the agreement as a success for social dialogue. "This agreement will mean new advances for the workforce," he said, calling on the government to press ahead with getting the proposals drawn up into a bill. Both the unions and employers are due to formally approve the deal in the coming days. But leaders on both sides seemed satisfied with the agreement and ready to recommend it to their respective constituencies. If that happens, the measures will go before the French cabinet on March and from there to parliament, with the government hoping it can be entered into law by the end of May. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault expressed his satisfaction at the breakthrough, saying it struck a "balance between the security needed by workers and the adaptability that companies need". Laurence Parisot, head of the employers federation MEDEF, said the deal "marks the arrival of a culture of compromise after decades" of antagonism. And Laurent Berger, general secretary of the CFDT trades union, also welcomed what he called "an ambitious agreement" and said it would boost employment. Another union leader, Joseph Thouvenel of the CFTC, said that what they had obtained was not perfect, but he would nevertheless give a favourable report on it at a meeting of his union's executive next week. Marie-Francoise Leflon of the CFE-CGC union described the agreement as a balanced deal. The other two main trades unions, the CGT and Force Ouvriere (FO), both came out against the deal. "It's a dark day for employees' rights," said Stephane Lardy of FO, denouncing the deal. Talks had dragged on between unions and three employers federations since October 4. The breakthrough appeared to come on Friday when the employers backed from tax measures on contract workers that had become a deal-breaker with the unions. The deal allows employers to cut working hours and salaries during hard times as well as making the process of laying off staff both less costly and less complicated. On the other side, employees gained more rights, including better health cover and unemployment benefits. The deal will come as a welcome relief to the Socialist government. France is one of the last countries in Europe to reform its labour market in this way and has been under the scrutiny of the international ratings agencies for some time. Hollande has stressed the need for social dialogue as the key to economic reform.
Tengrinews
Читайте также
Join Telegram Последние новости
NSC carries out arrests in Almaty
Tokayev congratulates Putin
First LRT trains arrive in Astana
Лого TengriNews мобильная Лого TengriLife мобильная Лого TengriSport мобильная Лого TengriAuto мобильная Иконка меню мобильная
Иконка закрытия мобильного меню
Открыть TengriNews Открыть TengriLife Открыть TengriSport Открыть TengriAuto Открыть TengriTravel Открыть TengriEdu Открыть TengriGuide

Exchange Rates

 512.1  course up  590.94  course up  6.44  course down

 

Weather

location-current
Алматы

 

Редакция Advertising
Социальные сети
Иконка Instagram footer Иконка Telegram footer Иконка Vkontakte footer Иконка Facebook footer Иконка Twitter footer Иконка Youtube footer Иконка TikTok footer Иконка WhatsApp footer