The French Senate approved yesterday a revised jobs law to
replace the embattled First Employment Contract (CPE), which has
triggered weeks of massive protests.
French President Jacques Chirac announced Monday to replace a
key provision of the CPE law, in an effort to quell two months of
protests during which more than 3,600 people were arrested.
Opponents said the CPE law, which allows employers to terminate
contracts with young workers aged under 26, will erode hard-won
labor rights and make it more difficult for youths to find
long-term jobs.
Under the revised law, companies will be granted subsidies for
recruiting young people aged between 16 to 25 with low
qualifications, or coming from one of the 750 disadvantaged
neighborhoods, many of which saw youth riots last November.
The new measures are set to cost 450 million euros (about US$550
million) over two years, according to government estimates.
(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2006)
