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World

French bosses, fed up with taxes and red tape, take lesson from unions and take to the streets

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Small and medium-sized enterprise owners demonstrate in Paris, France, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. Several thousand French business owners, particularly from small companies, demonstrated to plead with the government to simplify regulations and make it easier and cheaper to hire. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (The Associated Press)

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    Small and medium-sized enterprise owners hold padlocks as they demonstrate in Paris, France, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. Several thousand French business owners, particularly from small companies, demonstrated to plead with the government to simplify regulations and make it easier and cheaper to hire. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (The Associated Press)

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    Small and medium-sized enterprise owners set up padlocks in front of the Econony ministry as they demonstrate in Paris, France, Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. Several thousand French business owners, particularly from small companies, demonstrated to plead with the government to simplify regulations and make it easier and cheaper to hire. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – In France, workers aren't the only ones who take to the streets to protest — their bosses do, too.

Several thousand French business owners, particularly from small companies, demonstrated Monday in Paris to plead with the government to simplify regulations and make it easier and cheaper to hire.

Protester Jean-Pierre Hutin, a hotel owner, urged more flexibility for part-time work, while others complained that layers of taxes and labor rules have made it impossible for France to compete globally.

They argued that the government needs business owners to hire. Socialist President Francois Hollande has sought to loosen labor laws but critics say it doesn't go nearly far enough.

French unemployment is around 10 percent and economic growth has stagnated, threatening to push the whole eurozone back into recession.