French Employment Law Strike: Things Are About to Get Even Uglier

Further Update (3/24):  Stalemate between Government and Unions continue.

Update: Joe Slater rightly points out that general strikes by American unions would be generally prohbited based on the secondary activity prohibitions under the NLRA.  Nevertheless, my larger point was that American unions just don't have the same clout in the American political system as the French unions do in their political system; albeit, this may be exactly because more restrictions are placed on American unions.

From the New York Times:

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin of France faced an ultimatum from union leaders today to withdraw the employment law that set off huge nationwide demonstrations and sporadic violence over the weekend or face a general strike.

After the protests ended in outbreaks of violence late Saturday, union leaders gave Mr. Villepin a deadline of Monday evening to withdraw the First Employment Contract, which was intended to make it easier for businesses to hire and fire young people.

"If nothing moves, we will propose preparing a day of general work stoppages in the coming days," said Bernard Thibault, head of the powerful CGT labor union.

A front-page editorial in the French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche today predicted that Mr. Villepin would probably hold firm. But further conflict could damage the prospects for Mr. Villepin, who has been in office for 10 months, of running for president next year.

It will be interesting to see if these French unions can make a difference in this stalemate between the national government and younger workers over this controversial employment law. 

To state the obvious, it is hard to imagine American labor unions having this type of clout in national politics in this country in the foreseeable future.

PS