Emmanuel Macron has just faced the first protests organized against his decisions since he was elected the President of France. Workers from the CGT union, a hard-left group, announced a protest march on Tuesday to show their disagreement with labor reforms. They do not endorse the proposed changes to labor regulations as they can create an amiable environment for businesses only.
Macron’s Labord Reforms Divided Labor Groups into Two Sides for the First Time
The head of the CGT which is linked to the Communist Party, Philippe Martinez, sounded the alarm to the working class in France. The leader described Macron’s proposed changes to labor regulations as ‘social coup d’etat.’ He believes that the reforms would propel lazy people to new heights while leaving the honest workers behind.
On the other hand, Macron’s reforms managed to divide the side of the labor unions in two. While all of them previously worked tirelessly to put a stop on labor code changes that would weaken labor regulations, CFDT chose this time to support the view of their young President.
Therefore, the French Democratic Confederation of Labor refused to join the announced protests. Force Ouvrière or FO has also announced that its members wouldn’t take part in such demonstrations.
Macron Intends to Flatten the Legal Medium for Businesses to Create More Jobs
The current labor reforms are the fruits of weeks of negotiations. They propose a cap on payouts for job dismissals that are perceived as unfair and also a greater freedom for employers to fire and hire workers.
The government will put the new changes into effect as of September 22. The labor reforms underline Macron’s determination to revive the hiring market as unemployment remained above 9% for almost ten years now. While French workers are appreciative for the current labor code, businesses viewed the French legislation as detrimental to new investments and job creation.
Macron wasn’t available for comments regarding the protests on Tuesday. He scheduled a visit to the French territory of the Caribbean Islands to review the damages Hurricane Irma caused.
Image source: 1
