Vive le General Strike?

This stuff's really getting out of control. Now I know that people in France like nothing better than to strike at the drop of a hat, but this one may actually be with some merit - depending on who you ask.

We are all probably familiar with the the reasons why students and young people are striking. This law carries with it the potential for all kinds of labour abuses we would never tolerate here or in any other industrialized country. Think about it: would YOU be OK with a law that allowed employers to fire you for no reason at all for up to 2 years? 2 years is a long to time to dedicate to a position just to be shown the door (trust me I know) because of the way the wind blows. We would never tolerate that here in Canada... oh wait, we do. Its called temporary or contract hiring, and its all the rage. I myself have fallen victim to the pitfalls of contract work, where not 10 years ago, that same position would have been classified as "permanent", and would have had all the luxuries they don't have to include to contract employees (benefits, wage increases, longer vacation time, etc.). A rose by any other name huh?

However, there is another side to this story; the one, I admit, I would be all to hasty to dismiss. According to French friends and others that have spend a good deal of time over there, this law is actually an attempt to HELP the very people who are in the streets protesting against it. You see, France has a staggeringly high unemployment rate amongst youth (over 22%). A lot of people have linked this unemployment to the recent riots that spread across France and neighboring countries. The problem, as it was defined to me, is this: when a company hires a person to a full-time position, it is very difficult to get rid of them. Ergo, a company faced with the choice of hiring a proven professional with a track record of employment, versus an unproven graduate or young immigrant, will always go with the older (and therefore more qualified) applicant. This law is supposed to be an attempt to ease the fears of employers and entice them to take a chance on young employees. If its not working out, you can let them go.

That's as far as I'm willing to wade into this one though. I leave it to you to pick your sides and follow the story. I will add this: it seems the massive protests are having an effect. Whereas the French PM vowed last week not to re-open the issues around this law, it seems he has been has been quoted in this article as "open to suggestions for change". Interesting.
CBC News: Millions bring France to a standstill over youth jobs law