Hey! Nos amis francais...
Danno3000
2,851 Posts
What are your opinions on the political unrest? I'm curious to know what you think.
Danno3000
2,851 Posts
Comments
But what is everything over again? Drop some knowledge!
Being a french citizen i can speak on the matter. The mess is about CPE plan imposed by Dominique de Villepin and the goverment. This initiative was a deal between the state and the corporate world was supposed to deal with unemployement (especially iwith youth) by giving an incentives for firms to hire students. What was that incentive..these CPE contracts allow firms to hire students but be able to fire them (with no explanation or reason) after 2 years of work. The logic being if companies can freely terminate positions they will hire more people to replace them and thus more hiring is more jobs for students.
Well students see their workers rights beeing attacked and dont like this topdown imposed dealbetween firms and the gov. So they are protesting in the streets (just like here in quebec over tuition) and have got the syndicats of france to join them in a general strike. Devillepin does not want to backdown from his position and claims we must give the CPE plan a chance. The mobilization and pressure is getting huge.
The french have been known to strike on anything but this is a huge movement
hope you get a clearer picture
Anarchists don't want jobs
I think that was the irony our friend was referring to.
An observation; there have been some references to May '68: what's ironic is that the movement back then was assembled to dismantle the prevailing infrastructure whereas the current situation involves maintaining the status quo - check and see how many student agitators from yesteryear are now part of the establishment... Having guaranteed jobs for life doesn't necessarily inspire efficiency nor efficacy either and invites complacency...
I'd say more about the current dissension, but I'd rather not digress into the human condition circa 2006...
Very interesting comments. I do not know about job guarantees more than this is question a question of precedent and negative market incentives..as an excuse for a solution to a growing problem. The top down aspect of the protest remains.
Although i completely understand what you mean. Here in quebec, student protest movement single handedly transformed the legislature and educational system. Now a lot of the old protestors are part of the establishment and a lot less concerned. We too had to defend the 'stat quo' however the fact such a status is obtained through social mobilization and social debate makes it worth fighting for. It is always so much harder to implement a social plan than to destroy it.
No debate just throwing out ideas.