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A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 29 June 2017
Macron’s government kicks off controversial labor reform

By SYLVIE CORBET presented at a Cabinet Penicaud, a former direc- stressed. The details of the strikes against the labor re-
Associated Press meeting Wednesday, and tor of human resources for reform are to be presented form on Sept. 12. The sec-
PARIS (AP) — President unions fear it strips away food-products multination- at the end of August, she retary general of France’s
Emmanuel Macron’s gov- hard-earned worker pro- al group Danone, said the said in a news conference. main employee union, the
ernment has launched an tections. The government reform is “expected by the Following the Cabinet CFDT, Laurent Berger, said
effort to redesign French proposes to cap the finan- French, they gave a clear meeting, government he’s in a “phase of con-
labor rules, one of the most cial penalty for companies signal of need for change” spokesman Christophe sultation” with the govern-
important and divisive sued for firing employees, by electing Macron, a pro- Castaner stressed to re- ment. “There’s no blind trust
promises of his presidency. and to allow businesses free market centrist. porters the “importance” or widespread distrust,” he
Labor Minister Muriel more flexibility to define in- She insisted the bill could of the labor reform as part said on Europe 1 radio.
Penicaud told RTL radio ternal working rules. be amended and the gov- of a series of measures Previous attempts to loos-
Wednesday the govern- The government wants to ernment isn’t signing itself that will aim at lowering en France’s labor rules,
ment is “moving the rules use a special procedure a “blank check.” A total of the unemployment rate under Macron’s prede-
of the game” in hopes of to quickly pass the mea- 48 meetings with workers to 7 percent at the end of cessor Francois Hollande,
tackling unemployment, sures this summer without unions and employers’ or- Macron’s term in 2022. The drew tens of thousands of
hovering near 10 percent. extended debate in parlia- ganizations are scheduled CGT union called for a na- people onto the streets for
A draft labor law has been ment. to discuss the reform, she tional day of protests and months.q

UK’s weakened government passes first vote since election

By JILL LAWLESS the emergency and public
Associated Press services a fair pay rise.”
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Labour leader Jeremy Cor-
Conservative minority gov- byn said recent disasters
ernment passed its first and deadly attacks in the
test in Parliament since country proved “you can’t
an election wiped out its have safety and security
majority, with lawmakers on the cheap.”
Wednesday narrowly re- “It is plain to see that seven
jecting an opposition de- years of cuts to our emer-
mand for an end to public gency services has made
spending cuts. us less safe,” he said. “It’s
The House of Commons time to make a change.”
voted 323 to 309 against a The Conservatives have
call by the main opposition slashed public spending
Labour Party for a pay raise since 2010 in an attempt
for public-sector workers to reduce Britain’s deficit,
and the reversal of cuts to introducing cuts to welfare
police and firefighting bud- benefits and reducing the
gets. funds local authorities use
The vote was the first faced British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street in London, to attend Prime Minister’s to pay for key services.
by the government in Par- Questions at the Houses of Parliament, Wednesday, June 28, 2017. Weariness with austerity
liament since the June 8 (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) was a factor driving voters
election. It came after sev- May’s government de- Unionists agreed to back been capped during seven in this month’s early gener-
eral days of debate on last feated Labour’s proposal the Tories on key votes and years of austerity measures. al election away from the
week’s Queen’s Speech, with support from the 10 May agreed to provide Labour’s motion called on Conservatives and toward
which laid out the weak- lawmakers of Northern Ire- more than 1 billion pounds the government “to recruit Labour, which promised
ened government plans land’s Democratic Unionist in new funds to Northern more police officers and during the election cam-
for the next two years. Party. In a deal reached Ireland. Public employee firefighters ... end the pub- paign to boost spending.
Prime Minister Theresa this week, the Democratic wages and salaries have lic sector pay cap and give q

Greece eyes market return as debt dispute still simmering

By DEREK GATOPOULOS Commission, European mission chief, said at a to Greece is a viable obligations this year.
Associated Press Central Bank, and a conference at a luxury option. Once Greece is What happens in the longer
LAGONISSI, Greece (AP) — eurozone rescue fund said seaside resort near Athens. able to borrow markets term is still the subject of
Greece is on target to tap recent austerity measures Greece was first bailed in the bond markets to heated debate. With a
bond markets for money that included further cuts out back in 2010 when it fund its debt repayments, hammered economy,
again by the end of this to pensions and economic was effectively locked out then it won’t need any Greek debt has soared to
year and exit its bailout reforms will further solidify of bond markets because more bailout cash from its nearly 180 percent of the
program next summer, Greece’s public finances investors were asking for creditors. country’s annual GDP.
European creditors said over the years ahead. sky-high interest rates in The more benign bond The IMF has stayed out
Wednesday. “Greece is entering the return for money. Without market backdrop has of the current program,
But a spat with the final year of the program the money, Greece would come in the wake of Greece’s third bailout,
International Monetary with a real opportunity to have gone bankrupt and the recently passed arguing that European
Fund over how to deal with regain market access and most likely have had to austerity measures and an lenders are setting
the country’s enormous actually end the program ditch the euro currency. agreement with creditors unrealistic targets for the
debt showed no sign of on schedule in August next Now those so-called yields to restart loan installments Greek economy instead of
being resolved swiftly. year,” Declan Costello, the are tumbling, a real sign to Athens, which allows considering more generous
Officials from the European EU Commission’s Greek that investors think lending Greece to meet its debt debt relief. q