The French Senate approved yesterday a revised jobs law to replace the embattled First Employment Contract (CPE), which has triggered weeks of massive protests.

 

French President Jacques Chirac announced Monday to replace a key provision of the CPE law, in an effort to quell two months of protests during which more than 3,600 people were arrested.

 

Opponents said the CPE law, which allows employers to terminate contracts with young workers aged under 26, will erode hard-won labor rights and make it more difficult for youths to find long-term jobs.

 

Under the revised law, companies will be granted subsidies for recruiting young people aged between 16 to 25 with low qualifications, or coming from one of the 750 disadvantaged neighborhoods, many of which saw youth riots last November.

 

The new measures are set to cost 450 million euros (about US$550 million) over two years, according to government estimates.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2006)