typical french

i got to work late today, again. if it's not the tramway construction growing around the city, it's another manifestation (protest) holding traffic up. today it was the latter. but organized by the high school students of lycée massena who are protesting a new law passed by the french government. the law called le Contrat Premiere Embauche (CPE) which translates to First Employment Contract. it allows employers with 20 or more employees to fire staff under 26 years old within 2 years for no reason.

manifestations and grêves (strikes) are legal here. the government allows employees to protest and strike as they please for whatever reason against their employers. normally, of course, the protests and strikes are aimed to disrupt the flow of business, but the question that i ask as these protests happen almost every week, how effective are they? especially since the strikers know that they'll be going back to the same job anyway as the unemployment rate in france is so high.

in the case with the CPE law, i think it's a weak answer to the ridiculously high unemployment rate in france. in addition to the shortage of jobs, it is damn hard to land a job out here anyway as almost all employers only hire people who have received a degree in the position they're filling. yes, you even need a degree to be a secretary. and then it's even harder to fire an employee as their ammo are manifestations and grêves... get it?

but supporters of the new law say that it generates more jobs because at least it gives people aged 26 and under the opportunity to find temporary employment. i say that all it does is lead people in their 20s to live en chômage, on unemployment. sure, getting unemployment checks help ease one's situation as they're in between jobs, but with the monthly unemployment allowance, after rent and the basic neccessities for living, it leaves little room for 20-somethings to contribute to the lifestyle. not to mention that their parents are still supporting them, e.g. buying their groceries, helping with the rent, etc.

with all this in mind, one of two things happen: people around my age resort to working retail, at the supermarket, or at mcdonald's (the latter two being the higher-paying, non-degree jobs in france), and that's only if they get hired; or if they can afford the investment, they pick another career path, go back to school for it, and hope they get a job when they graduate. whatever the case may be, by the time people my age can contribute to the culture and the economy, they're in their 30s. and that's only if they can afford to contribute by then. oh yes, and did i mention that there aren't laws that protect employees against discrimination? first of all, the creation of laws against discrimination in france is a new thing. needless to say, discrimination is yet another huge issue within the unemployment mess. is this all the french youth have to look forward to?

which brings me back to this morning. i obviously don't agree with the new work law. but what changes, other than symbolic, do these protests make when the majority of protesters are high school and university students? they haven't worked a day in their lives.