France’s jobs market is too ‘rigid’ and must be reformed to boost growth and employment, Brussels and international agencies like the OECD* endlessly repeat, and hawkish PM Valls has been only too happy to oblige. But new evidence challenges this assertion, shows French economist Arnaud Parienty. The “structural reforms” that Brussels asks France mainly consist … Continue reading
Union-led protests across France show the country’s anti austerity movement is alive and kicking, despite the betrayals of the Socialist government and the rise of the Right, argues Jean Paul Piérot of L’Humanite newspaper. In the aftermath of departmental elections, the people seemed depressed, cowed. The popular anti-austerity movement, which in recent months has made … Continue reading
By Juan Torres López A crucial question for the Spanish economy is why we suffer a level of unemployment that is much higher than the rest of the economies that surround us. Obviously, it is a question with no simple unequivocal answer, for surely there are many factors that make our unemployment so high and … Continue reading
This week France’s government forced a controversial deregulatory economic bill through parliament by decree, provoking a confidence vote and further splits within the ruling socialists, with rebels including former minister Benoît Hamon. Drafted by a one-time investment banker and designed to win respite from the German-led EU over draconian deficit reduction demands, it has been pursued in the name of … Continue reading
By Vicente Clavero* Three years ago the Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy pushed through its labour reform against despite big opposition. Most of the parliamentary groups and social forces rejected it, to no avail; well founded warnings about possible consequences were ignored too. The absolute parliamentary majority of the Popular Party meant the law got … Continue reading
Friday’s mass protests in Italy mark the end of the honeymoon period for PM Renzi Thousands took to the streets of Milan and other cities on Friday in the first of union-led protests that will culminate in a general strike next month. At issue is the government’s labour counter-reforms that will make it easier for … Continue reading
As many as a million took to the streets of Rome on Saturday in a protest at the Renzi’s government’s labour counter-reforms, dubbed the Jobs Act. Giorgio Cremaschi analyses the strategy of the country’s largest union confederation that led the mega rally and suggests what is needed to defeat this latest neo-liberal attack on the Italian people The CGIL … Continue reading
The French Prime Minister has revived the idea that the French labour market is overly protective of permanent employees. However, international comparisons show that this is not the case, argues Duval Guillaume “The functioning of the labour market is not satisfactory because it is not creating enough jobs, it generates significant inequalities between highly protected employees … Continue reading
The Spanish economy, no sooner declared one of the bright spots in the Eurozone economy, is again struggling. The Eurozone’s fourth largest economy grew at its fastest pace in six years in the second quarter (the third consecutive quarter of growth) but this week the Bank of Spain sounded pessimistic, pointing to a slow down in … Continue reading
No sector in Italy has been more ‘reformed’ than the labour market. Yet there’s talk of the need for reforms every day, as if labour rules had remained unchanged for a century. Carlo Clericetti on why PM Matteo Renzi should desist from his Jobs Act It is repeated in almost every newscast: “structural reforms”, especially of the … Continue reading
Read the news and it’s all upbeat about Spain. The Spanish economy grew 0.6 percent in the second quarter, the fastest rate since 2007, before the country slipped into recession. That’s the fourth consecutive quarter of growth. And Spain’s unemployment rate has fallen to a two-year low – of 24.5% in the second quarter. Of course at … Continue reading
By Jose Antonio Arias Again, for the umpteenth time the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has attacked Spanish youth and their wages, while the Spanish business lobby shouts “we told you so”. This is the scenario: over 50% youth unemployment, the minimum wage at €645.30 (virtually frozen since 2011) and almost non-existent labour rights. Faced with … Continue reading
By Giorgio Cremaschi* A few months ago all the Italian media reported with great sympathy the struggle of the Greek state television journalists against the cuts decided by the government in the name of austerity. Now they point the finger at the strike at Italy’s state broadcaster Rai, characterising it as a revolt of bureaucracy … Continue reading
IN THE RADICAL PRESS / IL MANIFESTO By Francesca Fornario Job flexibility is like those diets that promise to make you lose weight quickly by eating only animal protein. The result, says the research , is that by swallowing steaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you will reach the goal of losing weight immediately, but … Continue reading
By Vicente Clavero Probably PM Mariano Rajoy doesn’t give a damn, but he’s just got a right earful from the International Labour Organization (ILO). The UN agency, which represents governments, unions and employers, has issued a scathing report on collective bargaining in Spain. According to ILO, reforms since February 2012 and cuts in working conditions … Continue reading