France to replace controversial youth worker law

April 10, 2006

French President Jacques Chirac has announced that the new youth job law that has fueled protests for the past few weeks is to be replaced by other measures to attack unemployment amongst young adults.

Students and unions protested the new law, which would have given employers the freedom to fire youth workers under the age of 26 without reason during a two-year "trial period". The prospect had sparked somewhat violent protests across the country in the past two months.

Union leaders have given government officials until Easter to withdraw the existing law or face yet another general strike.