THE FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF THE NATION WILL BE BACK AFTER THIS BREAK

French union leaders set to resume strikes (Marc Mangin, AUG 2, 2003, THE STRAITS TIMES)

France is bracing itself for more strikes next month, fearing that they could reach the level of actions which paralysed the capital in 1995.

Unionists have promised to protest against plans by the French government to reform the welfare system.

At issue is a five-point programme which French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin says aims 'to modernise the welfare system'.

The system, which includes unemployment benefits, has been heavily in debt for years and is the next target of a government struggling to address some of the country's fundamental structural problems. [...]

Despite crippling public-sector strikes early last month and in May, the Parliament and the Senate passed a Bill last week to raise civil servants' contribution to the pension fund to the level fixed for the private sector.

Unionists went on vacation in June, but promised to resume their protests when they return.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 4, 2003 10:46 AM