EADS boss calls for easing of French 35-hour week

Expatica ^ | July 1, 2004

[Buck W.]

PARIS, July 1 (AFP) - The co-president of the European Aeronautic Space and Defence Group (EADS), Philippe Camus, weighed into a debate Thursday over France's 35-hour working week, calling for greater flexibility in the policy.

"The regulations on the 35-hour work week have widened the gulf between France and the United States, its main competitor, in terms of hours worked.

"This law must be softened because it has amputated recent productivity gains and immobilises young cadres and engineers," Camus said during a meeting of an association for the French aeronautics and space industries.

He also threatened to move EADS operations abroad and asked for increased state financial aid.

His comments coincide with an offensive by France's centre-right government on the 35-hour working week introduced by the previous Socialist administration in 1998.

In France the 35-hour week was designed to encourage employment by sharing out the existing work among more people, with companies compensated for their longer pay-rolls by more flexible rostering, lower social charges and a promise of wage restraint from unions.

But many economists say that while the reduction in working time yielded between 200,000 and 300,000 new jobs, many of these would have been created anyway as a result of the country's strong economic performance in the late 1990s.

In late 2002, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin's majority in the National Assembly made the law more flexible by voting through an increase in the number of permissible overtime hours. But many centre-right deputies believe more action is required to undo the measure completely.

[Buck W.]

On seeing the headline, I initially thought that "easing" referred to "shortening"!

[CasearianDaoist]

widened the gulf between France and the United States, its main competitor

These people are out of their minds. what do they have, a trillion dollar economy? the economies of just California and New York combined dwarf the economy of France. The arrogance of these people continues to amaze.

Note that EADS, the major owner of Airbus want yet more subsidies. This should be taken up with the WTO. Not likely though.

[Bogey78O]

France is our competitor?

Why not compare them to someone they're on athe same level with... Texas or California.

We smoked them years ago.

[exnavy]

OUI

[lormand]

Well at least there are a few Frogs who are recognizing their shrinking civilization, and it's growing insignificance.

[Cicero]

France is our competitor in many areas, and they do better than they would otherwise, because they cheat.

They win many more lucrative contracts from foreign governments than we do, because they bribe them freely, whereas we have laws against bribery.

They do fairly well against us on trade because we play by the rules, enforced by the WTO, and they constantly cheat. They are massively protectionist. The WTO is, to all appearances, controlled by France and its friends. They constantly help each other out and rule against us.

[glockmeister40]

But many economists say that while the reduction in working time yielded between 200,000 and 300,000 new jobs, many of these would have been created anyway as a result of the country's strong economic performance in the late 1990s.

Producing more cheese and whine?

[kitkat]

*** with companies compensated for their longer pay-rolls by... lower social charges....***

If that means what I think it means, it refers to taxes for welfare, etc. Which in turn means that the other French wage earners or companies must pay MORE to make up the difference. THEY JUST DON'T GET IT, DO THEY?

If I'm wrong, (hey, it happens) I'll be glad to hear the correct version from someone else.

By the way, interesting article, Buck.

[Buck W.]

My pleasure!

[Pittsburg Phil]

Now only are the frogs cowards but they're lazy, too.

By the way, I heard an advertisement on the radio for an Akron Ohio resturant that said something like this, "Remember, when you see a yellow French battle flag, you're looking at military law."

[ErnBatavia]

I initially thought that "easing" referred to "shortening"!

Ditto...I thought they're maybe taking clues from our very own French candidate for President; the one that needs to take "a couple of days rest" from campaigning every two or three weeks.

[CasearianDaoist]

If you are talking about Airbus, that is not merely a French company. France's economy is a tenth of ours. But you are right we need to do something about the WTO. I do not think that we will see that in another Bush term, however. Outside of highspeed rail, reactors and some areospace sectors - and parhaps some non-military maritime architectures - I do not see any area where they even come close to us.

Let us hope that Bush wins and that over the course of his term we can start setting the stage fro economic nationalism on the Hill and in the next term.

If we would be as demanding as the French with the WTO we would take the day. We are its largest donor.

Just one good solid trade war with between the EU and the USA and the WTO would fold.

[The Great RJ]

With a 35 hour work week, at least 4 weeks vacation, numerous paid holidays and the general French attitude toward work it's amazing anything gets produced there.