France: Non au CPE [No to First Employment Contract]

04-04-06,9:31am



Paris, Apr 4 (Prensa Latina) Under a generalized theme, 'Non au CPE', no to the First Employment Contract, demonstrations are reported throughout France on the fifth day of nationwide action against the unpopular law.

Unions and student groups, hoping to draw millions into the streets Tuesday, have mounted two months of strikes and protests against the government initiative, aimed at encouraging companies to take on more young staff, by loosening firing rules during their first two years of employment.

President Jacques Chirac signed the bill into law over the weekend but immediately suspended it under the growing pressure, and called for a compromise and promising to ammend it.

But unions and youth organizations, emboldened by the successful campaign, rejected any compromise. About 200 rallies are reported across nationwide, while in Paris and major cities security has been hightened. Over 5,000 police officers were deployed in the capital.

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