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Demonstrators in France Protest Labor Changes Macron Faces First Big Street Protests, a Challenge to His Labor Reforms
(about 3 hours later)
PARIS — Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, and union workers went on strike across France on Tuesday to protest government plans to overhaul the country’s labor regulations. PARIS — The first big street protests since France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, took office in May unfolded in cities across the country on Tuesday, as union members went on strike to protest government plans to overhaul labor regulations.
The rallies were the first major protests faced by President Emmanuel Macron, and they will test how he and his government respond to opposition to his plans to revamp the French economy. Large street demonstrations last year helped pressure Mr. Macron’s predecessor, François Hollande, to dilute a plan to overhaul the notoriously complex labor code. The latest rallies are a test of Mr. Macron’s resolve to revamp the French economy and of his opponents’ ability to mobilize against him.
But the demonstrations also gave a chance for those angry at the government to express frustrations about other issues, including budget cuts, plans to reform the pension system, and Mr. Macron’s own style of governing.
Mr. Macron, however, was nowhere near the protests. He arrived in the Caribbean on Tuesday to visit the French islands of St. Martin and St. Barthélemy, after they were hit by Hurricane Irma last week.Mr. Macron, however, was nowhere near the protests. He arrived in the Caribbean on Tuesday to visit the French islands of St. Martin and St. Barthélemy, after they were hit by Hurricane Irma last week.
Protests took place in Lyon, Nantes, Paris, Toulouse and a dozen other cities, led by unions and left-wing parties who say that worker rights are being watered down by the overhaul of the French labor code, which is known as the Code du Travail. Protests took place in Lyon, Nantes, Toulouse and a dozen other cities, led by unions and left-wing parties who say that worker rights would being watered down by the overhaul of the French labor code, which is known as the Code du Travail.
The changes to the code would loosen regulations for small companies, make it easier to hire and fire employees, and enable businesses to negotiate certain workplace issues at the company level rather than having to abide by industrywide agreements. More than 60,000 people demonstrated on the streets of Paris, according to unions, who called the protests a success. The Paris police prefecture said the figure was closer to 24,000.
Tear gas was fired and rocks were thrown during sporadic clashes between police and small groups of protesters on the fringes of the main march in Paris, but the overall mood was calm. Last year, weeks of protests against similar labor changes were sometimes marred by violence.
The changes to the labor code would loosen regulations for small companies, make it easier to hire and fire employees, and enable businesses to negotiate certain workplace issues at the company level rather than having to abide by industrywide agreements.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the founder of the left-wing France Unbowed party, said on Tuesday that Mr. Macron “can and must back down.” France Unbowed is organizing a separate demonstration against the labor overhaul on Sept. 23.Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the founder of the left-wing France Unbowed party, said on Tuesday that Mr. Macron “can and must back down.” France Unbowed is organizing a separate demonstration against the labor overhaul on Sept. 23.
“This isn’t our last stand,” Mr. Mélenchon told reporters at a demonstration in the southern city of Marseille, which is part of the area he represents in the lower house of Parliament. “We are organizing a relentless defense of the labor code.” “This isn’t our last stand,” Mr. Mélenchon told reporters at a demonstration in the southern city of Marseille, which he represents in the lower house of Parliament. “We are organizing a relentless defense of the labor code.”
But the government is not expected to budge. Mr. Macron is enacting the overhaul to the labor rules by decree, and the changes are expected to be implemented this month.But the government is not expected to budge. Mr. Macron is enacting the overhaul to the labor rules by decree, and the changes are expected to be implemented this month.
Also, opponents of the new labor rules have been divided in their response. Among the major French unions, only the hard-line General Confederation of Labor, or C.G.T., called on its members to demonstrate on Tuesday.Also, opponents of the new labor rules have been divided in their response. Among the major French unions, only the hard-line General Confederation of Labor, or C.G.T., called on its members to demonstrate on Tuesday.
More moderate unions, who were not entirely happy with the changes but welcomed the summer-long talks the government held to explain them, have not called on their members to protest. Victor Mendez, 46, a railway engineer who was been a member of the C.G.T. for the past three years, said during the rally in Paris that he was opposed to Mr. Macron creating “disposable workers.”
Philippe Martinez, the head of the C.G.T., told the television channel France 2 on Tuesday morning that turnout on Tuesday and on Sept. 21, when his union plans to organize another set of rallies, would be crucial in pressuring the government. “It’s hard to get a job, but it has become so easy to get fired,” he said.
“Some governments stuck to their guns, and were then forced to drop their guns,” Mr. Martinez said. Top leadership at the more moderate unions, who were not entirely happy with the changes but welcomed the summer-long talks the government held to explain them, had not called on their members to protest.
The demonstrations on Tuesday were called to focus attention on the changes to the labor law, which would directly affect workers in the private sector. Many among the rank-and-file in those unions seemed to have gone anyway, like Patrice Quillet, 52, a chemical industry union representative in the Force Ouvrière, who said “there’s nothing good in this reform.”
The demonstrations on Tuesday were called to focus attention on the changes to the labor code, which would directly affect workers in the private sector.
Some groups are joining the rallies to protest against other measures planned by Mr. Macron’s government, including budget cuts for civil servants and cuts in housing subsidies for students.Some groups are joining the rallies to protest against other measures planned by Mr. Macron’s government, including budget cuts for civil servants and cuts in housing subsidies for students.
Anger against Mr. Macron was amplified last week when he said in a speech during a visit to Greece that those who opposed the changes for France were “slackers” or “cynics.” Existing anger against Mr. Macron was amplified last week when he said, in a speech in Greece, that those who opposed the changes for France were “slackers” or “cynics.”
Although Mr. Macron didn’t specify whom he was targeting — and although he later added that he meant “all of those who for the past 15 years have said we mustn’t move in France and in Europe” — some citizens felt affronted, including Serge Amely, a 50-year-old nurse’s aid who said that he felt the comments were “unworthy of a leader.”
“I’ve been working for the past 32 years, I wake up everyday at 5 a.m., I’m no slacker and my work is difficult,” Mr. Amely said during the demonstration in Paris, where dozens held signs that read “Slackers of all countries, unite!” or chanted “Macron, president of the bosses!”
Alain Cure, a 66-year-old elementary-school principal in Paris and a union member, said it was “important to show that we, as union workers, are united.”Alain Cure, a 66-year-old elementary-school principal in Paris and a union member, said it was “important to show that we, as union workers, are united.”
Mr. Cure, who was waiting for a march to start on the Place de la Bastille in Paris, said that, although the labor changes would not affect him, it was important to send a message. Mr. Cure, who was waiting for a march to start on the Place de la Bastille in Paris, said that, although the labor changes would not affect him, it was important to send a message ahead of other planned changes. Mr. Macron’s government is also planning to overhaul France’s pension and unemployment systems.
“If Macron passes the reforms, then he will have more powers to pass further reforms,” he said, pointing to Mr. Macron’s plans to overhaul the pension structure in France. The government is also planning to significantly overhaul the country’s unemployment and professional training systems. “If Macron passes the reforms, then he will have more powers to pass further reforms,” Mr. Cure said.