France: Unions' 10-day deadline for govt to repeal jobs law

France’s biggest trade unions set a 10-day deadline today for the government to revoke a divisive jobs law, threatening more protests and strikes that have spiralled into a national crisis.

Union leaders began three days of talks with top politicians from President Jacques Chirac’s ruling party in hopes of ending a stand-off that has thrown the country into turmoil and damaged his prime minister and protégé, Dominique de Villepin.