Euro 2016: Before Soccer Tournament Kickoff, France Moves To Calm Protests Against Labor Law Reform

France's government moved on Tuesday to calm protests against labor law reform ahead of the monthlong European soccer championship, announcing a pay rise for schoolteachers and pledging to speed up reorganization talks at the SNCF railways.

The Socialist government of Prime Minister Manuel Valls is urging the hard-line CGT union that is leading a rail strike as of Tuesday evening to propose ways out of the confrontation over a labor reform bill that will make hiring and firing easier.