‘French trains, buses & airline services were disrupted today as unions said about 1 million people took to the streets across the nation to protest new labour laws that make it easier to fire workers. 

The strike is the first against Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, appointed on May 31. He introduced a new work contract that allows companies with fewer than 20 employees to fire them within two years instead of six months.’  

French Strike On Hiring Law