"Am I therefore become your enemy,because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH...?"
(Galatians 4:16)

Wave of Strikes Hits France

French unions have claimed that up to three million people have taken part in street protests amid a national strike against France's economic policies.Police gave an estimate of 1.2 million people at rallies nationwide.Schools have been closed and public transport disrupted, with demonstrations held in about 200 towns.Unions are demanding more is spent to protect workers in the recession. Unemployment has reached two million and is expected to rise further. Union members marched towards the Place de la Nation in Paris behind a banner that read:"United against the crisis, defend employment, spending power and public services." "They have a profound sense of social injustice," said Jean-Claude Mailly, head of the large Force Ouvriere union, "and that, I think, is something that neither the government nor the employers have understood."Benoit Hamon, a spokesman for the French Socialist Party spokesman said France was experiencing similar problems to other countries, but that the situation was being made worse by President Nicolas Sarkozy."We have a president who aggravates the crisis by making the wrong economic and social choices, by his deafness regarding the general dissatisfaction," said Mr Hamom."He refuses to give answers regarding layoffs, regarding the cost of living, regarding the way to objectively avoid the rise in job losses in the public sector or in the public health system."Marches were also being held in Marseille, Lyon, Grenoble and many other towns and cities.Noel Kouici, demonstrating in Marseilles, said protesters had a "grudge" against the government."Of course we are angry against the government when you see the way they serve the banks and leave the people starving and losing their jobs," he said.But the deputy mayor of Marseille, Roland Blum, told the BBC the government had done a lot to help people."Of course I understand the distress of people who've lost or are going to lose their jobs, but what I think is necessary is that we all work together," he said.There protests were largely peaceful but minor scuffles were reported in several cities later in the evening.In Paris, police used tear gas to disperse small groups of youths who were setting fire to rubbish bins and throwing bottles.It is the second time in two months that major demonstrations have been held, following a similar display in January which drew about a million protesters.
To read more go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7951949.stm
As in the days of Noah...