France’s paralysing strikes
Europe’s second largest economy slowly grinds to a halt as mass strikes continue.
Workers are angry with the French government’s moves to make it easier for companies to hire and fire.
Employees at oil refineries and all but three nuclear power stations have joined protests.
Strikes are also affecting domestic flights and train services.
Riot police have been deployed to take down barricades blocking oil refineries, roads and bridges, and a third of France’s petrol stations are running dry.
Workers say the labour reforms, designed to reduce unemployment and pushed through without a parliamentary vote, favour bosses over workers.
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Remi Piet – public policy expert and professor at Qatar University
Anne-Elisabeth Moutet – French journalist and political columnist for the Sunday Telegraph
Francois Reyes – One Young World Ambassador