Protesting French prison guards reject govt proposals
French prison guards yesterday pushed ahead with work stoppages and pickets after two unions turned down the government's latest offer to end a nearly two-week crisis after a series of attacks by inmates.
But French President Emmanuel Macron said his justice minister Nicole Belloubet, who has been negotiating with union leaders this week to end France's worst prison blockade in 25 years, had his full support.
"The minister is taking action and I'm certain she will reach a negotiated solution", Macron said Thursday.
Belloubet told union chiefs that 1,500 maximum security cells would be built, and that dangerous inmates would be handcuffed and once again subject to spot cell searches.
She also pledged to create 1,100 new jobs to ease the pressure on the 28,000 guards at overcrowded prisons, and at least 30 million euros ($37 million) to increase salaries.
Belloubet told Europe 1 radio yesterday that they were "very serious offers" while calling for "a sense of responsibility, an appreciation of the situation."
She is expected to be auditioned soon by a Senate panel on the blockades.
France's prisons administration said 116 of the country's 188 jails were affected by the protests Thursday, with guards at 42 facilities refusing to show up for all or part of their shifts.
Only about 60 prisons were experiencing work stoppages early yesterday.
Guards are wary of escalating their protests with threats to "lay down their keys", since they are banned from striking under French law.
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