France's Hollande holds ground on contested labour reform bill

A striking French CGT labour union employee stands near a burning barricade during a police operation to free up a fuel depot near the Donges oil refinery as workers protest the labour reforms law proposal in Donges, France, May 27, 2016. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

PARIS (Reuters) - France's government sought to buy off social unrest and calm protests against labour law reform before a European football tournament kicks off, announcing a pay rise for school teachers and intervening in reorganisation talks at the SNCF railways.

The Socialist government of Prime Minister Manuel Valls urged the hardline CGT union, which is leading a rail strike from Tuesday evening, to propose ways out of the confrontation over a labour reform bill to make hiring and firing easier.