François Hollande 'will not give way' despite labour reform protests

France's President says he does not want to be remembered as a leader who 'did nothing'

President Hollande says he will not give in over the reforms (Miguel Medina/Reuters)

Truck-drivers blocked motorways and thousands of people marched through French cities on Tuesday in the first of a new series of protests against reforms of France’s sprawling labour laws.

Unions have called a two-day rail strike from Wednesday which they say will be repeated each week until the recently enacted law is abandoned.

A fringe of hooded youths attacked police, journalists and union security officers on the margins of marches in Paris, Nantes and Marseilles, but on the whole, the demonstrations appeared to be smaller than in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, President François Hollande dismissed all chances of a withdrawal of the reforms, which were pushed through the lower house of parliament by decree last week. “I will not give way because too many previous governments have backed down,” Mr Hollande said during a an hour-long interview with the Europe 1 radio station. “I prefer that people remember me as a president who made reforms rather than a president who did nothing.”

President Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls insisted that the simplification of France’s complex labour laws will create tens of thousands of jobs. Moderate unions agree. Centre-right politicians and the employers' union say that the reforms have been so watered down by the government as to be meaningless. Some union federations, sections of Mr Hollande’s Socialist party and harder-left groups say that the changes are an attack on fundamental workers’ rights.

The reforms are the first serious attempt by any recent administration to lighten the regulatory obstacles to job creation in France. They will, amongst other things, make it easier for employers to terminate long-term contracts if their businesses are struggling. The government argues that existing long-term contracts are so rigid that employers prefer not to create jobs or to resort to short-term contracts which offer workers fewer rights.

Some unions are angry that the changes would allow workplace deals between employees and bosses to override national agreements. Local referendums would also allow deals to modify labour laws, including aspects of the 35-hour working week.

Philippe Martinez, secretary general of the CGT trades union federation, said: “When so many citizens oppose a new law and when demonstrations continue for such a long time, the people must be heard. President Hollande has stuffed up his ears….So strikes must become the rule.”