France’s Hollande pledges to press on with labour reform

Ise-Shima (Japan) (AFP) – French President Francois Hollande pledged Friday he would press on with his unpopular labour reforms, despite strikes that have paralysed the nation.

“I will keep going because I think these are good reforms,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Japan, adding that his government would ensure “freedom of movement” for citizens beset with rail strikes and fuel blockades.

Unions on Friday called on workers to “continue and step up their action” as a wave of strikes against a disputed labour law disrupted transport and fuel supplies.

Unions issued a joint statement urging members to “multiply and support” industrial action, as they attempt to step up the pressure on President Francois Hollande’s Socialist government.

With just two weeks until France hosts the Euro 2016 football championship, the country has been gripped by more than a week of rolling strikes that have disrupted transport and sparked fuel shortages.

“The strength of the statements given by the government, their… stubbornness in not withdrawing the draft legislation are boosting the determination” of the union movement, the statement said.

The union call came a day after police fired tear gas at a small group of masked youths who smashed shop windows and parked cars, in the latest outburst of anger at the controversial legislation.

Nationwide protests on Thursday saw 153,000 people take to the streets overall, officials said, though union leaders put the number at 300,000.