(24 Mar 2006)
AP Television
1. Matignon courtyard
2. Bernard Thibault, head of the powerful CGT union, arriving
3. Francois Chereque, secretary general of the moderate CFDT union, arriving
POOL
4. Pan from trade union leaders to French Prime Minister Dominque De Villepin, back to trade union leaders
5. De Villepin seated centre
6. Zoom into trade union representatives seated
7. De Villepin seated
8. Trade union representatives seated
AP Television
9. Trade unions leaders leaving Matignon
10. SOUNDBITE: (French) Bernard Thibault, head of CGT union:
"We have tried to convince him (De Villepin), one after the other, of the dimension of the crisis in which our country is, of the dimension of the government responsibilities, of the method used and of the fundamentals of this reform which we do not agree. We've said one after the other that there was only one possible way out: to withdraw."
11. Unions' leaders speaking to press
12. SOUNDBITE: (French) Francois Chereque, Secretary General of CFDT union:
"We all have tried to explain to the prime minister that we were all ready to start negotiations on the condition of course that he does not impose the CPE. We faced a government which for the moment is refusing to do so and who strangely gives us an appointment after next Tuesday to re-discuss - which means he is asking us to prepare well for our demonstration."
POOL
13. SOUNDBITE: (French) Dominique De Villepin, French Prime Minister:
"This meeting with the unions' organisations was important. It is a first step. Together we must manage to find constructive solutions in order to answer to the real worries of the young people, and especially about the First Employment Contract."
AP Television
14. Crowd of journalists in courtyard
STORY:
Union leaders in Paris failed in talks on Friday to force France's prime minister to withdraw a divisive new jobs law and said they would go ahead with plans for a nationwide strike next week.
After the 75-minute meeting with Dominique de Villepin at his prime ministerial office, the secretary general of the CFDT union, Francois Chereque said: "We all have tried to explain to the prime minister that we were all ready to start negotiations on the condition of course that he does not impose the CPE. We faced a government which for the moment is refusing to do."
The lack of a breakthrough left France facing the prospect of widespread transport disruptions in next Tuesday's strike and the possibility of a protracted face-off over the law, which makes it easier for companies to hire - and fire - young workers.
Villepin described Friday's meeting as "a first step" and said he hoped for more talks next week.
But it remained unclear how he would extricate himself from the crisis and calm the nationwide swell of student protests that has led to blockades at dozens of universities and violent clashes with police.
The head of the CGT union, Bernard Thibault said: "We have tried to convince him (De Villepin), one after the other, of the dimension of the crisis in which our country is... We've said one after the other that there was only one possible way out: to withdrawal."
The impasse over the jobs measure has exposed France's deep divisions about the direction of reform, between those who argue that such new approaches are needed to free up the economy and others who insist that change must not come at the expense of the country's cherished social protections.
In all, there have been 1,420 arrests and 453 officers injured since clashes first broke out on March 11.
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