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Time to End the Strikes in France Time to End the Strikes in France
(about 7 hours later)
France, at the moment, is seemingly in chaos. Strikes are disrupting vital public services, including rail travel. Air France pilots say that they, too, will strike between June 11 and June 14, just in time for the European soccer championship which begins in France on Friday. Major unions have called for a national day of protest on Tuesday. All this threatens France’s image, its economy and its security.France, at the moment, is seemingly in chaos. Strikes are disrupting vital public services, including rail travel. Air France pilots say that they, too, will strike between June 11 and June 14, just in time for the European soccer championship which begins in France on Friday. Major unions have called for a national day of protest on Tuesday. All this threatens France’s image, its economy and its security.
But for what? The immediate cause is a labor reform bill backed by the government of François Hollande that would ease some workers protections in the hope of encouraging job growth. The larger cause is a deep sense of betrayal on France’s left, unhappy with what it sees as a rightward turn by Mr. Hollande’s Socialist government. But for what? The immediate cause is a labor reform bill backed by the government of François Hollande that would ease some worker protections in the hope of encouraging job growth. The larger cause is a deep sense of betrayal on France’s left, unhappy with what it sees as a rightward turn by Mr. Hollande’s Socialist government.
Outrage on the left forced Mr. Hollande to abandon a bill in March that would have stripped some French of their citizenship if convicted of terrorism. Many French see the labor-reform bill as a last straw. Since the Hollande government introduced the bill in March, hundreds of thousands of people have marched in protest across France, clashing violently with police at times.Outrage on the left forced Mr. Hollande to abandon a bill in March that would have stripped some French of their citizenship if convicted of terrorism. Many French see the labor-reform bill as a last straw. Since the Hollande government introduced the bill in March, hundreds of thousands of people have marched in protest across France, clashing violently with police at times.
Last month, using its executive authority, the government rammed the bill through a recalcitrant National Assembly. That prompted a series of strikes called by the General Confederation of Labor union, or C.G.T., that disrupted public transportation and rail travel, forced flight cancellations and, last month, caused temporary fuel shortages when unions shut down oil refineries. Now come the pilots, sensing their own opportunity to inflict pain.Last month, using its executive authority, the government rammed the bill through a recalcitrant National Assembly. That prompted a series of strikes called by the General Confederation of Labor union, or C.G.T., that disrupted public transportation and rail travel, forced flight cancellations and, last month, caused temporary fuel shortages when unions shut down oil refineries. Now come the pilots, sensing their own opportunity to inflict pain.
The Hollande government has already watered down some of the original provisions of the bill, which it regards as essential to reducing an unemployment rate stuck above 10 percent. But Prime Minister Manuel Valls made it clear in an interview last Friday that the government will not back down any further, saying: “If we were to give in to the C.G.T., we would never be able to reform France.”The Hollande government has already watered down some of the original provisions of the bill, which it regards as essential to reducing an unemployment rate stuck above 10 percent. But Prime Minister Manuel Valls made it clear in an interview last Friday that the government will not back down any further, saying: “If we were to give in to the C.G.T., we would never be able to reform France.”
Meanwhile, some two million foreign soccer fans are expected to arrive in France over the coming weeks, and the terrorism threat level in the wake of attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels earlier this year is high. On Monday, Ukrainian authorities arrested a Frenchman who was apparently planning a series of terrorist attacks during the tournament to protest French immigration policy.Meanwhile, some two million foreign soccer fans are expected to arrive in France over the coming weeks, and the terrorism threat level in the wake of attacks in Paris last year and in Brussels earlier this year is high. On Monday, Ukrainian authorities arrested a Frenchman who was apparently planning a series of terrorist attacks during the tournament to protest French immigration policy.
In these circumstances, it is sheer folly for the C.G.T. to continue to disrupt vital public services, and outrageous for Air France pilots, generally considered well paid, to strike over the first weekend of the tournament. As Mr. Hollande said on Tuesday, there comes a point when “you must realize it’s time to stop striking.” In France, where public opinion is turning against the strikes, that point is now.In these circumstances, it is sheer folly for the C.G.T. to continue to disrupt vital public services, and outrageous for Air France pilots, generally considered well paid, to strike over the first weekend of the tournament. As Mr. Hollande said on Tuesday, there comes a point when “you must realize it’s time to stop striking.” In France, where public opinion is turning against the strikes, that point is now.