France: business strikes back

[webfact]

France: business strikes back
By Catherine Hardy

"The CGT is killing our businesses"

PARIS: -- The General Secretary of France’s CGT union says he has had an approach from the government over stalled talks on employment law reform.

Philippe Martinez made the comments during a visit to the town of Fougeres.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls called the boss of the CGT on Saturday, for the first time in several weeks, it is claimed.

“There has been no contact for three months, not a thing, and then Saturday there was a call from the Prime Minister,” Philippe Martinez told reporters. “When we talk, it is better than when we say ‘my door is open but we are not discussing anything’.”

Did Valls back down over the law?
No.

The Prime Minister is maintaining his position on the plan for reform.

Giving in would be a “political mistake,” Valls said, adding that he is determined to “stick with the terms of the text.”

Angry businesses

In the picturesque Brittany town of Fougeres, the CGT boss was confronted by a group of small business owners protesting about the strike.

The atmosphere was tense between Philippe Martinez and the protesters, who say their businesses are suffering as a result of the strikes called by the CGT that are threatening to paralyse the country.

They were brandishing banners bearing comments like:

“The CGT is a hooligan destroying our jobs”
“Businesses without fuel, workers without jobs”
“The CGT is killing our businesses”
“The CGT is killing our businesses, we have had enough.”
Tense discussions followed between Martinez, CGT supporters and the protesters.

After some minor scuffles, Martinez went on his way.

“The CGT is killing our businesses”

Another group of around 70 businesspeople were waiting for Philippe Martinez in the town of Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche near Rennes.

They want the CGT to find another way of fighting for workers’ rights apart from blockading oil refineries and public transport.

They say both they and their businesses are being held hostage.

Sue and counter-sue

The boss of rival union the MEDEF has urged business owners to sue the CGT for loss of revenue.

The CGT says it will counter-sue the MEDEF for defamation.

“It is outrageous that there is such venom against a union,” said Philippe Martinez, “and Mr Gattaz must bear some responsibility for that as well, with his remarks yesterday, talking in terms of terrorism in a country that has been through what it has is absolutely scandalous.”

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-06-01

[Khun Paul]

bet the Boss of the Union still gets paid unlike his strikers. eh !!!

[Baerboxer]

bet the Boss of the Union still gets paid unlike his strikers. eh !!!

And the boss of the union feels important enough to have minders by the look his mates in the photo.

[up2u2]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

[sanukjim]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

There is no and never be your definition of "Fair distribution of wealth." There has to be a separation of income for the system of commerce to work..The explanation would take a bit more education on your part to understand so I wont go into it for you.

[up2u2]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

There is no and never be your definition of "Fair distribution of wealth." There has to be a separation of income for the system of commerce to work..The explanation would take a bit more education on your part to understand so I wont go into it for you.

Good, as you would be having that little education chat on your own.

[Thaiwine]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

I agree with you for the first time, but for diffrent reasons, I want Frances economy to crumble under this strike, another death blow to the EU.

[beechguy]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

Or, the Union members could quit being trained monkeys, and start their businesses and companies.

For every person I see complaining about income inequality, I see a loser. The 1% you guys are whining and bitching about, have not denied me an education, a career, being able to buy a house, a new car etc.

[OMGImInPattaya]

They have businesses in France?

[up2u2]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

Or, the Union members could quit being trained monkeys, and start their businesses and companies.

For every person I see complaining about income inequality, I see a loser. The 1% you guys are whining and bitching about, have not denied me an education, a career, being able to buy a house, a new car etc.

So lets make that education cost a $100,000 debt at above market Interest rates, lower your wages by 25% remove your overtime penalty rates and increase your work hours and see how you go buying that house and new car or starting up that new business.

[RuamRudy]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

There is no and never be your definition of "Fair distribution of wealth." There has to be a separation of income for the system of commerce to work..The explanation would take a bit more education on your part to understand so I wont go into it for you.

Well I, for one, would love to be 'educated'. Please explain to me why there needs to be a separation of income (and, of course, what you think it should be separated from because you left that tantalisingly blank) - I promise I won't tell the rabble rousers.

[NumbNut]

Unions need to band together and bring the entire Nation to a standstill till their demands are met.

Allow one Franc to be taken or one worker's condition to be removed and Corporate France will pocket every last Franc in the country.

Thatcher Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate UK and for the worker Austerity measures

Reagan Union bashing - tax cuts for the wealthy and Corporate America and for the worker Food Stamps

Make no mistake this is a fight between greed and fair distribution of wealth.

Vive La France comrade

Or, the Union members could quit being trained monkeys, and start their businesses and companies.

For every person I see complaining about income inequality, I see a loser. The 1% you guys are whining and bitching about, have not denied me an education, a career, being able to buy a house, a new car etc.

So lets make that education cost a $100,000 debt at above market Interest rates, lower your wages by 25% remove your overtime penalty rates and increase your work hours and see how you go buying that house and new car or starting up that new business.

Up2, you forgot to add 'end of' and 'cheers', otherwise top post.