Is the right to strike being questioned?

On August 2nd, French Parliament voted for the organisation of minimum service in public transport in the event of a strike. Professor of law, Jacques Le Goff, interviewed by Nathalie Funès, sees no infringement of the right to strike. "This is less a breach, than an adaptation [of the law] to a more peaceful and complex society. No right can be considered absolute these days. ... In France, conflict has always been deeply anchored in our social conscience. Strikes are considered a means of asserting identity in a balance of power that is not guaranteed by trade unions. This is contrary to other countries where trade unions don't need to resort to such intimidation. Hence France's particularity: we start by stopping work, which is equivalent to slamming your fist down on the table, and only then do we start negotiating, whereas striking is the result of a blockage between bosses and unions in the United Kingdom or in Germany. Foreseeing strikes is part of the new law's logic. This is moving us closer to our neighbours."

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