News / France

Labor protesters, police clash in France

Thursday, 14 April 2016 6:06 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 14 April 2016 6:05 PM ]

French riot policemen use tear gas against demonstrators at Place de la Republique in Paris on April 14, 2016. (AFP photo)

Clashes have broken out in Paris as tens of thousands of young people joined demonstrations in the French capital to protest against labor reforms planned by the government.

Labor and student unions as well as far-left parties joined demonstrations against proposed labor reforms near Place de la Republique in the French capital Paris on Thursday.

French riot police deployed tear gas and pepper spray to disperse angry protesters while demonstrators hurled rocks and glass bottles at security forces in the capital.

Several arrests were made after violent clashes erupted between riot police and furious protesters.

A number of demonstrators and police officers have reportedly been injured in the latest clashes.

On April 5, police in Paris reportedly arrested 130 people as thousands of workers as well as high school and college students joined a demonstration against labor reforms in the capital.

In recent weeks, protesters across France have been marching to voice their anger at labor reforms being championed by the country's Socialist government.

Unions have also held nationwide protest rallies and strikes to put pressure on the government to withdraw the reforms bill. They argue that the proposed reforms will hurt worker protections and make it easier for companies and businesses to hire and fire workers.

The parliament is due to vote on the controversial bill in late April or early May.

The government argues that the labor reforms will reduce the unemployment rate, but opponents say they target safeguards that protect employees.

A protester wears an Anonymous collective mask as he demonstrates against the labor reform laws in Paris on April 14, 2016. (AFP photo)

In mid-March, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls unveiled a revised version of the bill, saying the government had modified the bill after listening to the "concerns" raised by the unions.

In the revised version, the government will no longer impose a cap on severance pay for dismissed workers, a measure many companies argued would have helped reduce the uncertainty of going through the industrial court system. Instead, the new limits will be introduced as non-binding guidelines.

In the revised plan, the government will also give industrial courts more latitude than originally planned to assess the health of a company trying to lay off workers.

The new plan also increases the right of unskilled workers to training and gives more financial aid to young people.

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