Paris
More than a half-million people demonstrated in Paris this week against a proposal that would change job rules for younger workers. Under a bill being considered in parliament, companies could offer people under 26 flexible contracts allowing for layoffs on short notice during the first two years of employment. French labor law currently provides strong job protections for workers, with the result that it’s difficult to get a job but almost impossible to lose one. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said the bill would alleviate unemployment among the young, which, at 20 percent, is double the national average. Protesters said all workers deserve the same benefits.
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