MAJOR FRENCH LABOR UNIONS ARE EXPECTED TO MEET WEDNESDAY WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC'S PARTY OVER A CONTESTED YOUTH JOBS LAW THAT HAS SPARKED NATIONWIDE PROTESTS. CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKERS HAVE OFFERED NO-HOLDS-BARRED TALKS ON THE JOBS LAW BUT STOPPED SHORT OF PROMISING TO BURY THE MEASURE, THE REUTERS NEWS SERVICE REPORTED. MORE THAN A MILLION PROTESTERS TOOK TO THE STREETS OF FRANCE ON TUESDAY HOPING TO KILL A NEW LABOR LAW THAT WILL ALLOW EMPLOYERS TO MORE EASILY HIRE AND FIRE YOUNG, FIRST-TIME WORKERS. IN PARIS, POCKETS OF DEMONSTRATORS THREW BOTTLES AND ROCKS AT RIOT POLICE STATIONED AROUND THE PLACE D'ITALIE. POLICE RESPONDED BY FIRING PAINT BALLS, MARKING SOME OF DEMONSTRATORS. FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE MAIN DEMONSTRATION HAD BROKEN UP, AND BY 9:30 P.M. (3:30 P.M. ET) -- DINNER TIME IN PARIS -- THE SQUARE WAS DESERTED. IN ALL, 383 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN PARIS AND ANOTHER 243 WERE ARRESTED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE INTERIOR MINISTRY. THOSE ARRESTS BRING TO 3,500 THE NUMBER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN DEMONSTRATIONS NATIONWIDE DURING THE PAST TWO WEEKS. INTERIOR MINISTER NICOLAS SARKOZY MET WITH RIOT POLICE AFTERWARD. ONE CAPTAIN REPORTEDLY TOLD HIM THAT TUESDAY'S DEMONSTRATIONS WERE NOT AS VIOLENT AS THOSE LAST WEEK. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE INTERIOR MINISTRY SAID THERE WERE 18 REPORTS OF MINOR INJURIES. HE DID NOT SAY WHETHER THEY WERE TO DEMONSTRATORS OR POLICE. PROTESTERS WERE ON THE STREETS IN 150 FRENCH CITIES FOR A FIFTH 'DAY OF ACTION.' AN ESTIMATE BY THE LEADERS OF THE UNION CGT PUT THE TURNOUT AT MORE THAN 3 MILLION, BUT THE FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTRY ESTIMATED THE CROWD AT JUST OVER 1 MILLION. THE INTERIOR MINISTRY SAID IT ESTIMATED ABOUT 84,000 PEOPLE DEMONSTRATED IN PARIS, WITH ANOTHER 944,700 IN OTHER FRENCH CITIES. THAT WOULD PUT THE NATIONAL TOTAL AT 1,028,700. THE INTERIOR MINISTRY SAID IT DEPLOYED 4,000 POLICE TUESDAY TO HANDLE ANY PROBLEMS. REPRESENTATIVES OF AT LEAST FIVE OF THE 12 UNIONS PARTICIPATING IN TUESDAY'S PROTEST AGREED TO TALK WEDNESDAY WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
