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The SGC of the oil industry, the majority, urged employees of the 13 refineries in the French strike Thursday, April 15, when a national roundtable on the future of refining in France, the union said in a statement Wednesday.

The union claims a "refining industry to serve the economic needs and the country's social and employment areas.

The panel of 15 April under the aegis of government, was obtained during the strike a week for employees of Total's refining industry in late February.

The Total Group announced Monday the end of its refining operations in Dunkirk, one of its six refineries in France, while maintaining the 370 jobs at the site through industrial restructuring, considered insufficient by the employees.

On Tuesday, employees of the refinery had planned to launch a new appeal for solidarity from other refineries in France group.

Total number of unions are to meet Thursday to take a common position.

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"Total stop refining at Dunkirk

The year 2009 was not that of chemistry as shown in the results of the Arkema Group, published on Thursday. The group announced a net loss of 172 million euros, against a profit of 100 million euros in 2008. The turnover has shrunk from 21.1% to 4.44 billion euros for an operating margin of 7%, against 8.8% in 2008.

The group saw its three channels suffer because of weak demand and reduced inventories at its customers. The vinyl products business recorded a decline in its sales to 1 billion euros against 1.443 billion a year earlier. The industrial cluster Chemistry reaping 2.109 billion euros against 2.582 billion revenue in 2008 cash advance to savings account .Finally, the last part, performance products has achieved a turnover of 1.318 billion against 1.602 billion a year ago.

In 2010, Arkema expects a "significant increase" in sales and its gross operating profit (EBITDA), which stood at 310 million euros for 2009 (-37.8%). He adds that "standard conditions", Arkema is an operating margin "greater than 13.5%" in 2014.

In early September, Arkema, a former subsidiary of Total, announced the arrest of a production line in Saint-Auban (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) with the elimination of 88 positions.

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"Arkema will eliminate 240 jobs

The device of "breaking conventional" – that allows an employer and his employee to terminate a permanent contract by mutual agreement, limiting litigation and providing access to unemployment benefits – has confirmed its success in 2009. For the full year, the first full implementation since its entry into force in August 2008, 191 309 amicable separations were approved by the Department of Labor. This represents nearly 8% of ILC failures recorded in 2009. "This system has put an end to hypocrisy that was to dress up as desired redundancies departures by both parties for the sole purpose of enabling the employee to receive unemployment insurance, welcomes it does in the entourage Xavier Darcos, Minister of Labor. He is entered in the customs and found its stride. "Either 20 000 applications, more or less approved by months.

"If we better secure the release of the company to an employee by guaranteeing a minimum benefit equal to redundancy pay, that's something," says Marcel Grignard, number 2 of the CFDT, the one of four unions to have invented the employers with the device in January 2008.

The refusal rate (records released by the administration in particular for non-compliance with statutory time limits) reached 13% in 2009 and that of inadmissibility (for incomplete), 3%. Two proportions in sharp decline over the year, indicating a greater ownership of the device by the Department of Human Resources. Some companies however are still aligned for their applications because of "social disguise" – a true social costs more than adding individual separations. It's mishap occurred in December to IBM online payday advance .The direction of the work of the Hauts-de-Seine has refused registration of 12 cases in the month. According to Jean-Michel Daire, CFDT delegate the administration would still accept applications in February reformulated by the group.

"It does not attend mass flow diversion" into perspective does one Department of Labor, which has yet sent in March 2009 a serious warning to its officials. They were advised to be "vigilant breaks conventional concluded in order to circumvent the safeguards of redundancies and collective."

Strong rise in entries to employment center

Virginie Devos, a lawyer in employment law in August & Debouzy, confirms: "Some enterprises are abusing the conventional break knowing they are likely to overturn." But others are more reluctant to use them."Some employers do not want to sign a treaty breaks because they fear a ripple effect among their employees more and more people want to benefit and reluctant to resign," says she.

Latest Trend: More and more employees enroll in employment center after signing a separation amicably. They have been 128 696 in 2009 to cross the gates of the former ANPE, or 67% of recipients of rupture. A steadily rising level which was close to 80% in December. This implies that, despite the crisis, employees are increasingly likely to take the gamble to leave the company immediately without having another job.

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"Breaks amicably: beware of disguised layoffs

The outlines of the reform of business tax does not end up being redesigned. While the bill contains funds that the text is finally adopted this afternoon, the government has introduced yet another amendment.

Responding to a request by senators, Eric Woerth has indeed held to reintroduce an element of equalization in the distribution to local communities of the future contribution of value-added businesses (CVAE), which replaces, with the contribution of property, business tax . Specifically, one quarter of the proceeds received from this CVAE be taken in favor of an equalization fund, then transferred to regions and departments in accordance with economic and social.A measure designed to correct inequalities that may be caused by the territoriality of the contribution.

All these changes will not affect business leaders, set for some time about the nature of the contribution they must pay. The business tax, which will disappear in 2010, is in effect replaced by a double contribution: the contribution of corporate property, sitting on the rental value of land occupied buildings, and the famous contribution of value-added businesses, paid from 500.000 euros turnover.

After several weeks of reflection, the verdict has finally fallen on the new method of fixing gas prices. The Ministry of Economy, which was to maneuver, just send the document to refer to the Regulatory Commission of Energy (CRE), for entry under the next year, after the publication of a decree .

The government, which ruled until then every three months on possible changes in gas prices, trying to remove a little of the game, at least in appearance. It will no longer once per year, one component of overall framing of the price curve of the molecule. This scheme seeks to prevent the State to meet in full psychodrama whenever Bercy opts for a rise in gas prices.

So now the company, GDF Suez, which will seize the regulator for a rate increase.Which regulator, after watching whether the incumbent's request is consistent with the pricing formula, make a binding opinion. Until now, the opinion of the CRE in the record setting gas prices was only advisory. In the new scheme, the Commission will therefore pose a greater weight.

However, uncertainties remain. In particular, what happens if gas prices are indexed on oil prices should fall? In the reference document, it is not called GDF Suez to decide in what direction. Similarly, it does not ask the regulator to pressure the company to obtain a reduction in charges.

"Let's just common sense: since oil prices are public, they bend permanently, GDF Suez will be forced to seek lower fares.Or the group will draw the wrath of both consumers and government, "says an industry expert.

Psychodrama

So much for the new scheme, at least in theory, developed by the government with the approval of other partners, beginning with GDF Suez. It remains now to see how it will apply in practice. It is hard, in fact, the government remain inactive in the face several repeated hikes in gas prices. Especially during elections, where the energy bill is regularly found in the heart of debates.

In short, despite government efforts, it is feared that this new device does not put an end to psychodramas on gas prices.

Despite an increase in job seekers during several months, the CEO job Pole Christian Charpy said on LCI television on Monday morning that the number of unemployed would remain "below the 3 million mark registered in Class A". He said that increasing numbers of people from Pole to register job is way slower than earlier this year.

In September, the number of jobseekers who have not worked (Class A) increased by 21,600 at 2,574 million, a surge of 25.1% in one year. By cons, if we add those who have a reduced activity (categories A, B and C), this number stood at 3.745 million (+20.8% yoy) and 3.972 million households in the overseas.Thus, the number of unemployed could exceed 4 million if one takes into account all categories.

From "many months" to return to the situation a year ago

"I hope that from the end of this year the trend will change but it will take many months to return to a situation that had been there even just a year – 1.9 million unemployed cons 2.5 million registered job center today. Indeed the number of unemployed still increasing each month at the rate of "20,000 to 25,000," he said. The figures on the number of job seekers for the period of October will be published Thursday.

This declaration takes place just before surgery, at 11.30 President Nicolas Sarkozy before 1700 agency managers and area job center, the new agency created by the merger of Assedic and ANPE, which is far from keep all its promises. The unions believe the poorly prepared.A counselor supports an average of 94 people (a record) in the direction. Employment center uses private companies to complement the Convention and proposed reclassification Custom (PRC) which has only retrenched, where "there, we guarantee a counselor for 50 to 60 people, according to Christian Charpy.

Nothing seems easier than to hack Facebook. Hackers have thus taken control of nearly 300 community groups on the popular social networking site Facebook, in order to demonstrate how personal data is vulnerable on the Internet.

"Hello, we announce that we have officially turned your Facebook group, said CYI (Control Your Info). This means that we control some of your information on Facebook. If we wanted we could show you a way that could severely damage your image.For example, we could rename your group inappropriately as 'I support pedophilia'.

The aim of the operation is not to harm: "It's just one example that really shows the vulnerabilities of social networking sites," the group said in a message posted on its website controlyour.info, ensuring that his motives were honest and educational purpose.

Facebook groups are places of thematic discussions that followers of the social networking site can join to discuss with other people who share their interests. According CYI, these groups "have a major flaw," because "if the administrator of a group goes, anyone can register as a new director.CYI members say that after having obtained the status of administrator, it is easy to make any changes, including photos or group settings.

CYI has sent messages to groups infiltrated to warn them that they had been "hijacked" and promised to restore their original appearance after being heard on the subject. "Our main objective is to draw attention to issues of privacy on the Internet," indicate these cyber activists. "Some people have even lost their jobs because of content on Facebook. We wanted to do something about this subject, add-t they.

Candidates for acquisition of Areva T & D sharpen their arguments, while the final submission of bids will take place next Monday.

Toshiba, long neglected in this competition is taken more seriously. He muscled his offer by joining two funds: the Japanese INCJ (mostly state-owned nippon) and a fund of Abu Dhabi Taqa. The latter's arrival in the bidding takes on particular importance, while a French consortium (Areva, Total, GDF Suez and EDF) supported by state battle for months to try to sell EPR Abu Dhabi.

Both funds, which provide additional financial strength to Toshiba, hold 40% of the future entity. The Japanese plans, if carried in case of IPO Areva T & D in five to seven years.The prospect of a listing of Areva T & D new version in Paris would be very well received by NYSE Euronext, which suffers from a lack of major operations and would target an ally of Toshiba on this issue. Such a listing would also be the "guarantor" of a French base of activity, in keeping with the country's global headquarters.

The Japanese, who was inspired by the offer from General Electric, has not forgotten to highlight the character "industrial" in its offer. It builds on the geographic – Areva T & D is absent from Asia and Toshiba contributes nearly one billion euros in sales in China – and synergies in research and development and procurement of raw materials.Main downside: Toshiba, owner of Westinghouse, is a very serious competitor Areva in the construction of nuclear reactors.

French base

For his part, General Electric has also revised its copy. Minority shareholder alongside the investment fund CVC in its initial offer, the U.S. conglomerate will position itself in the majority partner in the new offering will be delivered Monday. A decision making more industrial project and facilitate the granting of bank guarantees to Areva T & D when signing contracts.

The project also provides for GE in France to maintain the headquarters of a subsidiary of Areva and introduce the next five years the stock market. Industrial side, GE is the map of complementarity, it would include T & D to access the North American market, albeit less buoyant than Asia for transmitting and distributing electricity.A flat, however, GE sold it eighteen months a part of its T & D, raising questions about the strategic importance of such an event for the American conglomerate.

The presidents of Alstom and Schneider are also mounted to the wall for defending their joint bid. On Thursday, before the National Assembly, they reaffirmed that there would be no site closures or socially, in case of redemption. Schneider may be a cluster "distribution" of 5 billion euros. It would then match its two main competitors in the field, ABB and Siemens. Not enough, a priori, drawing the ire of Brussels. With the "transmission", Alstom is the world leader in this sector. Problem with this offer: it implies a separation of Areva T & D, an idea which irritates its management.

"Alstom defends its bid for Areva T & D

A decline in new listings in unemployment in the United States and the optimistic forecasts of telecoms equipment manufacturer Cisco has propelled the Dow Jones-immediately above the 10,000 points, a day before the report on employment in October the government. The flagship index of the NYSE is 2.08% at 10,006 points and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.40% to 2105 points.

New entries in weekly unemployment in the United States declined to 512,000 new applications for benefits, while analysts predicted 522,000. Moreover, the productivity of U.S. companies (excluding agriculture) increased in the third quarter, 9.5% annual rate. It is the largest increase in six years. The market expected a 6.3% increase. These publications, better than expected, reassured investors.

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones gained 0.31% Wednesday, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.09%.

Summary of values

Net earnings from Cisco down 15% in first quarter (ended in late October), $ 2.1 billion. The group said however that he thought back to growth of its business to the next quarter.

Qualcomm posted a profit of $ 803 million in the fourth quarter, down 9%.

Microsoft will cut 800 additional positions, plus the 5,000 announced in January. These cuts will take place in the world.

The media group News Corporation has announced a profit in the first quarter of fiscal 2010 of $ 571 million. Earnings per share amounted to 22 cents against 18 cents expected by analysts.

JPMorgan has an agreement with the regulator of financial markets, the SEC, to terminate proceedings in a case of influence peddling to local elected officials in the United States.JPMorgan will pay $ 25 million and 50 million dollars to the local authority, county of Jefferson.

The Iraqi Oil Ministry has awarded Thursday to a consortium led by Exxon Mobil exploitation of oil field west Qourna-1.

Research in Motion announced a buyback program of action for an amount up to $ 1.2 billion. It will start on November 9th and will be valid for a period of twelve months.