French Jobless Rate Falls to 8.4 Percent, Near 24-Year Low

[Flagg]

Source: Agence France Presse

FRENCH JOBLESS RATE FALLS TO 8.4 PERCENT, NEAR 24-YEAR LOW

Received Thursday, 29 March 2007 13:49:00 GMT
PARIS, March 29, 2007 (AFP) - The French unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 8.4 percent of the working population in February, official data showed on Thursday signalling the lowest figure since June 1983.
A government source said that this unemployment rate was calculated according to norms established by the International Labour Organisation.
The source said that under a different calculation used by the French labour ministry, the rate also fell by 0.1 percentage points to the same level of 8.4 percent.
The government source said the number of registered people looking for work had fallen by 1.0 percent to 2,066,100 people.
The figures were published in the midst of a campaign for the first round of a presidential election on April 22, in which unemployment is a central isue. France has suffered from high unemployment for years, but in the last year or so the rate has shown a steady, although erratic, decline.

Read more: http://www.ttc.org/200703291349.l2tdnid27755.htm

[MidwestTransplant]

1. Freepers saddened

[bluestateguy]

2. Correct me if I'm wrong

but doesn't France have those laws that make it very hard for employers to fire workers?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. And those same laws were in effect when unemployment was rising instead of falling.

What's your point?

[bluestateguy]

8. I have no point. It was a question,

nt

[melm00se]

12. to answer your question

yes, France has some very strong pro-labor laws.

from the Invest in France Agency:

France is an industrial economy where the labor laws are designed to protect the interests of employees and yet are suited to the economic priorities of business. Labor relations are governed by the Labor Code and by industry specific collective bargaining agreements that reflect the practices of each industry. Employee profit-sharing and share-ownership plans are encouraged though income tax and payroll tax exemptions. Flexible working hours and manning levels are designed to suit production constraints.

[Acadia Blue]

3. The French count people who have been unemployed a long time

unlike the Pigs who run our broken system. Our jobless rate is just as high as the French, its just that they can hide it because after a certain time, they take the umemployed person off the rolls.

[goforit]

4. And we are not hiding ours?.....Believing in Bush's numbers is Disney World

type of thinking.

[IA_Seth]

5. dude, that is what he just said. n/t

[Bluestar]

6. Maybe we could outsource our highest political offices

(like President, Vice President and the entire cabinet) to France??

[leftofthedial]

9. unlike the US,

the French actually count their unemployed

[roamer65]

10. Wow...our U6 rate is around 8.1%.

France uses the U6 measurement, I do believe. Freeper heads WILL explode. Only .3% difference.

[Tektonik]

11. do you have a link of the American U6 measurement by chance

I'm not refuting your claim; I'd just like a point of reference for the future

[rinsd]

13. Did they end up rescinding that employment law that caused riots?

Or is that law a factor?

I would imagine it wouldn't be a factor so soon after enaction.