May Day

[Robin Landseadel]

 From the guardian.co.uk :

French unions expecting record May Day marches
Hundreds of demonstrations across country amid anger at Nicolas  
Sarkozy's handling of economic crisis
	• Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
	• guardian.co.uk,	 Friday 1 May 2009 08.14 BST

Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of  
Francetoday as the traditional May Day rallies became a focus point  
for anger over factory closures, job cuts and Nicolas Sarkozy's  
handling of the economic crisis.

Union leaders were calling the day "historic" as a record number of  
almost 300 demonstrations were planned across the country. All trade  
unions marched as a united front for the first time on May Day since  
the second world war.

Public support for the demonstrations is over 70%, with protesters  
taking to the streets for various reasons. Many are angry at mass lay- 
offs while they feel fat-cat bosses are being protected by the  
government.

Unemployment is rising at its fastest rate in a decade as France  
enters its deepest depression since the war. Others joining the  
marches are opposed to the French president's reform of universities  
and hospitals.

Unions are hoping that today's bank holiday will bring out record  
numbers to rival the 2.5-3million who took to the streets in March  
protests. Today's demonstration is the third national protest over the  
handling of the economic crisis in four months. Unions will meet on  
Monday to decide whether to organise a general strike for the coming  
weeks.

Tension is growing in France over factory closures and lay-offs.  
Workers' protest actions are getting more radical: a wave of "boss- 
napping" by desperate workers intensified last month and some  
protesters ransacked state offices.

Today's marches came as unions tried to calm the mood and harness  
workers' anger. The former prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, has  
warned of a "revolutionary risk" in France. In one poll yesterday for  
Challenges magazine, 66% people felt there was a risk of "social  
explosion" over the coming months.