France

French Unions Back Revisions of Labor Law

January 20, 2013
Portside Labor
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/12/business/global/france-near-deal-to-simplify-labor-regulations.html
The New York Times
PARIS — French labor unions and business leaders struck a deal to overhaul labor laws. The changes include more flexibility for employers to reduce hours to prevent lay offs in times of "economic distress." Employers will pay a higher tax for using temporary labor. In exchange for flexibility, unions secured improvements to unemployment benefits and health insurance, as well as seats on the board of large companies.

Mali, France, and Chickens....As in: come home to roost

January 20, 2013
Portside
http://www.fpif.org/blog/mali_france_and_chickens
Foreign Policy in Focus
Why are the French once again firing into a continent? First, France has major investments in Niger and Mali. At bottom, this is about Francs (or Euros, as it may be). Some 75 percent of France's energy needs come from nuclear power, and a cheap source is its old colonial empire in the region (that besides Mali and Niger included Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Chad, Algeria, and the Central African Republic).