PARIS, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Workers from France's hard-left CGT trade unions took to streets on Tuesday to challenge the pro-businees labor reform proposed by President Emmanuel Macron.
Calling Macron's labor reform "social coup d'etat," CGT, France's second main trade union, plans 200 demonstartions across the country, which are expected to gather 200,000 people who want to express their refusal to the new labor rules that according to them would unraval workers rights in favor of entreprises.
Joining the protest call, rail workers movement has partially disrupted train traffic while truck drivers'action obstructed the entry to Paris, where students also blocked several schools.
In an interview with the state-run France TV channel earlier on Tuesday, Philippe Martinez, CGT general secretary, called the action "a first step of awareness" of employees.
"It is a real stake, I believe that the mobilization was necessary, there is a true calling into questioning of the labor law," he said.
Inheriting the wane growth and high joblessness, Macron, a former economy minister, has pledged to lessen labor rules and offer more freedom to companies in terms of recruitment, firing and pay conditions.
Facing street protests, the youngest head of state in France's modern history, stood firm in passing the reform and stressed that he wouldn't "cede any ground to slackers, nor cynics nor harldiners."
"I will be absolutely determined and I will not give anything, neither to the idlers nor the cynics nor to the extremes," he said.
Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, however, called on everyone to be "calm and determined," as "the results ...will take time to come out."
Fresh demonstartion is scheduled for Sept. 21. Enditem
