BBC: MPs scrap France's 35-hour week

BBC ^ | , Wednesday, 23 July 2008 23:56 UK | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

MPs scrap France's 35-hour week

Mr Sarkozy said the 35-hour week hampered France's competitiveness

France's parliament has passed a law which effectively ends the country's compulsory 35-hour working week.

The new law will allow companies to strike individual deals with unions on working hours and overtime.

Since coming into office last year, President Nicolas Sarkozy has blamed the 35-hour week for damaging France's economic competitiveness.

Introduced 10 years ago by the then Socialist government, polls show most French still support the 35-hour week.

The new measures are expected to come into force at the end of August.

"Companies will at last be able to operate a management policy based on a secure legal framework, it's a remarkable advance for the economy," said Daniele Giazzi of the governing UMP party.

Having been approved earlier this month by the National Assembly - France's lower house of parliament - the measures passed a vote in the Senate - the upper house - late on Wednesday.

The bill was supported by the Senate's centre-right majority but opposed by the opposition Socialists.

The Senate also adopted other key measures reforming rules on strikes and unemployment benefits.

[Army Air Corps]

Gallic ping.

[Southack]

Sarkozy rocks!

[max americana]

It now all depends on various French companies on how much hours they think is “suitable” for the week. 60 hours per week should do the trick as a “starting point”.

[EyeGuy]

France takes a baby step away from socialism as America is on the verge of a giant step into that same dead-end abyss.

[Army Air Corps]

Indeed. The man taking-on some sacred cows in France and succeeding.

[donna]

When do the student riots begin?

I smell burning cars!

[Myrddin]

In 1998 my project manager bid a contract that had our group working 10 hours for 8 hours pay. That was bid against a German firm whose employees were hampered by union rules and laws the restricted work hours by invalidating car insurance coverage if the employee exceeded the limits. We also had Java expertise demanded by the customer. We got the contract and many trips to Germany to deliver the final product. The Germans were surprised that we would bid the hours in that fashion. Compared to what I do today, that was loafing. There's a reason Americans routinely outrun their foreign competition. We simply work harder.

[fella]

The youts will riot over this as soon as the word comes down from the mosques. Even though they are all on welfare and will get paid for not working for 40 hours instead of 35.

[Cincinna]

Sarko will meet Obama on Friday, the last round of the Obamarama World Tour.

Should be interesting....they are like oil and water.

THE 35 HOUR WORK WEEK N’EST PLUS. RIP.

Bravo Sarko for taking the risk of dragging La Belle France into the 21st Century and back into the Free Market System.

[paristwelve]

It will hit the executives (cadres) the most, they might have to, god forbid, work!
The other workers still get the usual bad deal; low pay, lousy hours and no paid overtime. For overtime in France you get time off, not money, there’s no time and a half in France. Also people rarely punch in and punch out in France, you tell your boss that you worked three hours overtime, he/she says that you didn’t. End of discussion.
If you think France is sleazy in international relations, you should try working with these sleaze bags in their offices, shops and factories. Plus they fricking stink of BO. Working in the States is heaven compared to working in France.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Cincinna.

[TheMole]

A major achievement, very signifcant. I haven’t been as enthusiastic about Sarkozy as some because he’s been talking a good game without actually doing that much. This is real.

[rom]

No kidding! Same over here. We’ve been working 12-16 hour days these last couple of weeks for a customer whose contract is based on an 8-hour work day. We don’t get overtime either.

But we love our work (at least, we keep telling ourselves that!) and no union is going to keep me from getting my job done.

[bill1952]

it's a remarkable advance for the economy," said Daniele Giazzi of the governing UMP party.

Sarcasm extreme. It might have been a "remarkable advance" in 2000 BC.

[LZ_Bayonet]

"Sarkozy rocks!

I could understand your enthusiasm if you were French, but wouldn't it be better for our economy if France stayed on the 35 hour week?

[fightinJAG]

I see labor strife ahead, but it’s a start.

[Myrddin]

I'm salaried. The only time I get paid more is when the customer identifies a specific need to work extended hours to meet a specific objective in a compressed time frame. Even then, it is only straight time. Still, it is nice to have a little extra when a customer insists on the occasional 18 hour day to get the job done. I'm at 89 hours right now. 9 hours uncomp and growing. I like my job too. A happy customer keeps tossing more work in your direction.

[Sicon]

Now how are the “youth” in France supposed to find time to burn cars and/or make bombs?! I mean the ones that have jobs, anyway...