French MPs pass welfare cuts, unions boycott labour forum

PARIS (Reuters) - French parliament passed a series of welfare cuts on Tuesday despite widespread abstention by left-wing deputies as a major teachers' union became the third to boycott a labour forum hosted by President Francois Hollande.

With 33 Socialist deputies abstaining, parliament passed a welfare funding bill for 2014 that substantially cuts payroll taxes for companies as part of Hollande's efforts to improve their competitiveness and boost hiring.