Transport unions in France vote to start work again

It's about time. The strike has only delayed the inevitable fairness in retirement programs that voters - not street marchers - have concluded they want. Over the past few decades opinions have changed. People who rely on public transport to get to and from work have been punished during this strike, forced to walk or pay expensive taxi fees if they want to hold their own jobs. Some people who are on the outside looking in seem to think that France is some sort of a workers paradise, with guaranteed job security. It's different but not necessarily better or even good, for that matter.

Despite generally hating rules and regulations, when it comes to the work environment, they rule the day. In recent years organizations have increasingly used short term contracts to employ workers which means these people have employment, but it's similar to what we have in the US. Few benefits and no guarantees. People take these jobs because unemployment for youth is well into double digits. Even among the general population the rate is over 8%.

People in the workforce certainly have more security than in the US though this also cuts both ways. Organizations take months to hire someone new because they know it's expensive to get rid of that person if it's the wrong person. For job seekers, this translates to six months or more to find new work. There are no shortages of qualified people who can be looking for work for a year, even two or more. Compare that to the US where perhaps you can be fired easily enough, but it is dramatically easier to find new employment compared to France.

So as the strike dies down and transport workers go back it appears as though France is moving in the direction of modernizing its employment environment. Will this mean France will become like the US with employment laws? There is only so much change the French will accept so nothing will change overnight. Like many issues, finding a middle ground that works will be important. France isn't the only country that has trouble finding a middle ground though after years of watching neighboring Britain move forward while France is stuck in neutral, I suspect France is ready enough to try.