France may now be slowly emerging from its recession, but unemployment has soared.

Over 180,000 jobs went in the first quarter of this year, that is more than twice the amount for the whole of last year.

The economic downturn has been marked by a serious breakdown in relations between the French government and the trade unions, who are critical of Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and how he handled the crisis.

Now France's major trade unions have called more protests - the sixth this year. Past demonstrations have brought millions out on the streets, causing chaos and bringing large parts of the country to a standstill.
 
Unions want more money spent to protect workers. They are demanding job security and a fair distribution of company profits.

They also want the government to raise the legal minimum wage and provide more help for poor families and those unemployed.

Is the French government doing enough to protect its workers? And is president Sarkozy making matters worse?
 
Inside Story, with presenter Shiulie Gosh, discusses with guests Renaud Girard, the correspondent of the French newspaper Le Figaro, Jacques Reland, the head of European Research at the Global Policy Institute, and Gino Raymond, a professor of modern French studies at Bristol University.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Wednesday, October 7, 2009.