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Are we being softened up?


breizh
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I doubt many 2nd home owners or retirees will be aware, but I will not be paid today. What I earn goes straight to the Govn. After the thousands of deaths in 2003, I get the priviledge of working for nothing. The foncs are OK, they get it as a public holiday! Now, deep joy, reading between the lines, we are probably going to have more Solidarity Days!

http://www.leparisien.fr/politique/en-direct-financement-de-la-dependance-delaunay-evoque-la-solidarite-nationale-28-05-2012-2020484.php

 

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I have always known about this, but I really thought that they were going to do away with this day, never mind adding more.

 

When they started this, why on earth did they not insist that the functionnaires had to give their time too. It is very unfair.

 

 

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I am grateful to you for your selfless sacrifice, but I would be even more grateful if I was convinced that the money was really going to the cause for which it was earmarked.

Obviously the functonnaires will be clamouring to lead the charge towards the next stage...

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[quote user="breizh"]I will not be paid today. What I earn goes straight to the Govn. After the thousands of deaths in 2003, I get the priviledge of working for nothing. The foncs are OK, they get it as a public holiday! [/quote]

Mr Clair is not a fonctionnaire (civil servant), but he is not working today.

Many shops around (including Leclerc) have had notices in their windows and by the tills, stating they would not be open today.

 

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Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before the "solidarité" wore a bit thin. After all, there must be some years where people in France will practically work an entire fortnight during May, and we can't be having that, can we?[:D] Still, if a bit of inequality has crept in, it's not all bad news, there'll probably be a good strike in there somewhere!

I doubt if any permanent residents or ex-residents of the UK will be aware, but a lot of people in the UK will either have to work, take a day out of their annual leave or be unpaid for the "extra" public holiday they're supposedly getting for the Jubilee. I guess none of that will apply to the UK equivalent of fonctionnaires, either.

If the day ever dawns when the human race is treated equally, or one sector achieves parity with another, than I would like to vote that we all strike for pay parity with Roman Abramovich.[:)]

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You are correct Clair, the missis has the day off. Seems a bit random, who gets to work and who doesn't. Dominique is a teacher in a prive, and for APEC.

YCCMB, I suspect that the UK day is not a statutary Public Holiday, therefore is not technically a day off. At least people who work will get paid! I don't! In Germany, like everyone, I paid a Surchage Solidarity Tax for the Ossis (Solidaritätszuschlag) 5.5%, now I get to work for free for the OAPs (yeah,, right). So it is cheaper here!

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breizh, I was always told that the old vignettes that we put on the cars were for the old folks, not roads, how true this is, I don't know. And then they stopped it and altered all the social security payments for health, reducing the % and then starting the CSG etc. IF they increased CSG etc, then everyone would pay and not 'just' the workers. OR they could increase the health social security payments and then all workers would pay, which may not be a bad idea.

I suppose that I realise that they are intent on getting this money in one way or another, so which way would you prefer?

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[quote user="breizh"]

YCCMB, I suspect that the UK day is not a statutary Public Holiday, therefore is not technically a day off. At least people who work will get paid! I don't! In Germany, like everyone, I paid a Surchage Solidarity Tax for the Ossis (Solidaritätszuschlag) 5.5%, now I get to work for free for the OAPs (yeah,, right). So it is cheaper here!

[/quote]

Indeed, Breizh, if people work, they will get paid. Some who don't will also get paid, some won't. It's a question (in the UK) of some slight misrepresentation, as the day off was "billed" as an additional public holiday (which, technically, it is) but it's not something that HM the Q or the Government have made statutory, so their perceived largesse is tinted with a slightly jaundiced hue.

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[quote user="You can call me Betty"]

Indeed, Breizh, if people work, they will get paid. Some who don't will also get paid, some won't. It's a question (in the UK) of some slight misrepresentation, as the day off was "billed" as an additional public holiday (which, technically, it is) but it's not something that HM the Q or the Government have made statutory, so their perceived largesse is tinted with a slightly jaundiced hue.
[/quote]

 

On a slightly different tack, I have been amused by all the media blather (led in part by the Governor of the Bank of England) that the extra day's holiday for the Jubilee is going to cost the UK economy untold millions (or even billions) because of the loss of economic activity on that day.

Well, this year is a Leap Year.  I don't recall the media or Governor saying 'Yippee - everyone is working an extra day in February, so the UK economy is going to get untold millions (or even billions) extra![8-)]

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