Sarkozy announces huge job cuts

[Filuwaúrdjan]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced more than 22,000 job cuts in the civil service in order to reform the country's bulging public sector.  (BBC)

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

My my, someone is playing by the old neo-liberal playbook - gut the public service... then in 10 years create a monstrous bureaucracy and add 40,000.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

I bet he pulls it off.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I bet the country shuts down as the streets fill up with strikers.

[The Dowager Mod]

I'm surprised he got his head out of Bush's ass long enough to think of it.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced more than 22,000 job cuts in the civil service in order to reform the country's bulging public sector.  (BBC)

Can't this election-stealing loonybird be impeached?

[Hash]

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced more than 22,000 job cuts in the civil service in order to reform the country's bulging public sector.  (BBC)

Can't this election-stealing loonybird be impeached?

What are the proofs he stole the election? Other than the proof from the looney left?

[opebo]

I bet the country shuts down as the streets fill up with strikers.

One thing about the French - they do understand economics.

[Gustaf]

I bet the country shuts down as the streets fill up with strikers.

One thing about the French - they do understand economics.

That's merely a subjective opinion of yours.

This is a good move but I'm not convinced it will lead anywhere. France seems awafully hard to reform.

[opebo]

I bet the country shuts down as the streets fill up with strikers.

One thing about the French - they do understand economics.

That's merely a subjective opinion of yours.

This is a good move but I'm not convinced it will lead anywhere. France seems awafully hard to reform.

Perhaps I should have said - French workers do understand their own interests.  In marked contrast to most american ones.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Might be worth pointing out a little known fact here; only a very small proportion of the French workforce is unionised (the percentage is, astonishingly enough, even smaller than in the States).

[Gustaf]

Might be worth pointing out a little known fact here; only a very small proportion of the French workforce is unionised (the percentage is, astonishingly enough, even smaller than in the States).

I know that, but on the other hand the unions they have are very radical and militant (I believe most of them are communist, no?)

[Hash]

Might be worth pointing out a little known fact here; only a very small proportion of the French workforce is unionised (the percentage is, astonishingly enough, even smaller than in the States).

That certainly is correct, I don't have data on how much are unionised though.

[Frodo]

About time. 

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Might be worth pointing out a little known fact here; only a very small proportion of the French workforce is unionised (the percentage is, astonishingly enough, even smaller than in the States).

That certainly is correct, I don't have data on how much are unionised though.

I think it's around 8% or so. Might be a little lower (certainly isn't much higher).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Might be worth pointing out a little known fact here; only a very small proportion of the French workforce is unionised (the percentage is, astonishingly enough, even smaller than in the States).

I know that, but on the other hand the unions they have are very radical and militant (I believe most of them are communist, no?)

Going off memory here so apologies for any serious errors...

Of the five major confederations, only the CGT is Communist run, though FO is IIRC full of Trots these days (that might be out of date... can't remember). As for the others, CFDT (the largest in terms of membership) is moderate, the CFTC is a Catholic confederation and the CFE-CGC is a professional/managerial union.

Union membership in France is heavily concentrated in the public sector (even more than in most countries IIRC) and I think that there's some deal between the government and the five big confederations over pay policy.