French tempers flare in fight over factory
- 11 years ago
Anger, violence, and fire at yet another protest in Paris.
These Goodyear workers are fighting to save their tyre factory from closure.
Latest employment figures show the jobless rate in France is at its highest for 13 years.
The government - like the unions - is desperate to stop companies cutting jobs as it tries to cut debts.
But without growth President Hollande is finding it hard to persuade firms to keep struggling plants open.
Philippe Moreau-Defarges is from the French Institute of International Relations.
SOUNDBITE: French Institute of International Relations research fellow, Philippe Moreau-Defarges, saying (English):
"The French government is in a very difficult situation. On the one side he wants to seduce, he wants to convince international investors, businessmen, and on this side, to please his electoral bases, he must make strong gestures against these people, and that is very difficult."
Scenes like this are not what Franc
These Goodyear workers are fighting to save their tyre factory from closure.
Latest employment figures show the jobless rate in France is at its highest for 13 years.
The government - like the unions - is desperate to stop companies cutting jobs as it tries to cut debts.
But without growth President Hollande is finding it hard to persuade firms to keep struggling plants open.
Philippe Moreau-Defarges is from the French Institute of International Relations.
SOUNDBITE: French Institute of International Relations research fellow, Philippe Moreau-Defarges, saying (English):
"The French government is in a very difficult situation. On the one side he wants to seduce, he wants to convince international investors, businessmen, and on this side, to please his electoral bases, he must make strong gestures against these people, and that is very difficult."
Scenes like this are not what Franc