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A glimmer of hope?


Chancer
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Well actually no, it was une deception.

On the Fr3 local news they were proudly showing off the revolutionary new concept of choosing employees called "simulation" they said it was an Anglo Saxon idea where the pole emploi are now getting applicants to do a test to validate their competences rather than relying on qualifications.

It sounded like a quantum leap until they said that it was only being used for trades where there were no formal qulifications like cleaning shop windows [:(]

So there you have it, we can rest assured that at least the windows will be clean in our new Carrefour retail experience but the customer service will remain traditional, and no threat of any competence being required of the holders of diplomes or BAC+.

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True story, slightly off at a tangent, but vaguely thereabouts. One of staff I have, male, in his forties, BAC+lots, has a phobia about electricity, apparently he's always had this problem. He won't use the computer, telephone, etc, which makes actually impossible to do his job. He is so shy, he won't look at people, and won't talk to anyone. When I arrived, he actually spent all day filing, leaving me one body short for the tasks assigned, no increase in headcount permitted, so how do I get rid of Useless? Speak to HR, they speak to the union. Next thing a delegation from the CE turns up in my office. "No you can't get rid of Useless, he's been here too long, it would not be fair. In fact, we have reviewed the situation in this office. We demand you reduce all staff hours to match the number of hours he works, as it is unfair they work harder." 7 staff reduced to about 1 hour per day. To suggest it was not the result I wanted is a understatement, can't fault the CE logic though.

I'm not going to be here for ever, and the CE can't get me sacked, as officially I'm a UK employee seconded to Germany, and employed by them in France. My decision? Don't tell the other poor s*ds, and tell them that it's been agreed that they will cover for Useless.

Who employed the useless moron?, I don't know. Why?, I don't know. However it is irrelevant. He has the correct bits of paper, the fact that he is useless is not the fault of the person who employeed him. He had the pieces of paper, he's in........forever. France, and it's bits of paper..................[:P]

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Congrats[:D]

Sous chef with no paper? Well, at least he's a bloke. My limited experience of French woman, limited to my wife's own family. None of them can cook to save their lives. So if you're a bloke, and don't want to die of starvation, learn to cook. Fast. Or it's pizza emporter.

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Great story Velcorin.

Could you tell me exactly what a comite d'enterprise is or does? Is there an equivalent in UK companies.

I have had several dealings with the CE of the factory opposite and am still at a loss as to what they actually do apart from devote a lot of time to doing nothing, I did at first think that they might have been Personnel or HR, then the works engineers or whatever that is called these days.

Whatever they are they seem to be all powerful and omni-present yet dont actually seem to play any part in the actual business, in fact the factory may even have secretly ceased trading a decade ago without bothering to tell them.

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To be honest Chancer, I don't know everything they do, or don't do. I've had Works Councils in Germany, which are similar, but our lot seem to be the inhouse Business Prevention Team.

Officially, they represent the workers in all parts of the business, we have 2 CE members on the Board. HR has to advise them of all actions. The company gives them money to offer perks to the staff, such as free holidays, childrens parties, works parties.

They don't issue any Accounts, so I don't know where the money actually goes. I'm sure you're seen bits about some of the abuses that have gone on, in the media. How you get on the CE? Don't know. Officially there are elections each year. I've not been asked to vote in 4 years.

Don't get me wrong. They do very valuable work. Anyone who's every worked in a large French business will know the management style is extremely confrontional, to the degree which would be considered assault in the UK!

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French management style may be confrontational but it's not all one way:  in the 1980s I worked for Xerox, often in La Défense.  One of the employees was in some way dissatified with his lot so he shot the boss.

Now that's what I call direct action........

(I should have added the boss was injured but not seriously)

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[quote user="misplacedperson"]On the other hand, Mr M landed a job as assistant chef this summer (no catering qualifications, previous kitchen experience limited to plonge jobs as a student) and has been taken on for the winter season as well.
[/quote]

As someone who's had to eat the cr*p served up in many alpine establishments I cant say I'm surprised!!  The rules of employment seem to get bent out of shape in the Alps, it was the only place I ever managed to secure 'proper' french employment, OH too, we had no experience but as the work is so seasonal the french are not that keen, most jobs are filled by imported talent dont you find?

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There is a system called VAE ( Validation des Aquis de l 'Expérience) , I ve been a member of the jury for years in my school.

The candidates are people who have  experience but not the degree that would entitle them to a higher salary ( stupid I know but that's how it is). The candidates have about 20 minutes to convince the jury that they have all the skills required for that type of job, and the jury decides to " give" them the degree or not. (  they don't have to take the exam .)

Dunno if that may be of any help.  

 

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Can you convince the othet jurors to swing a teaching job for me Regine? [;-)]

Sounds like a good idea for professions like teaching where I think we all agree that people should be trained and qualified to get into but some may bring real life experience like leadership to the job as well as their qualifications

I saw on the news that this years new intake of teachers are to hit the ground running and will go straight into the classrooms unassisted, green as it were, that must be a baptism of fire in some of the schools dont you think?

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I don't have time right now Chancer, but I will PM you today and give you some hints. [:)]

" I saw on the news that this years new intake of teachers are to hit the ground running and will go straight into the classrooms unassisted, green as it were, that must be a baptism of fire in some of the schools dont you think? "

That's for sure, it's n'importe quoi...  But unfortunately for them, that's how it is going to be .............

Good heavens, I don't know how they will cope with up to 36 pair of eyes watching them on day 1, ready to find " the fault" .........

 

 

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The CE is more or less a union as they look after the workers rights and perks.  It is compulsory to have one if you have over 50 (I think) employees.  If you have disciplinary action etc you can have a member of the CE accompany you, they also meet up with the HR dept and the management every month to grill them on what is gong on in the company.

And they give us teh magnificent sum of 30 euros twice a year in gift vouchers.[:P]

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"The rules of employment seem to get bent out of shape in the Alps, it

was the only place I ever managed to secure 'proper' french employment,

OH too, we had no experience but as the work is so seasonal the french

are not that keen, most jobs are filled by imported talent dont you

find?"

Erm, no. I can only think of  half a dozen foreign employees of French companies here, to be honest. And it's not that the 'rules of employment' get bent, it's the fact that a) there is lots of work in ski resorts over the winter and b) employers want English speakers.

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  • 3 weeks later...
[quote user="Frenchie"]

There is a system called VAE ( Validation des Aquis de l 'Expérience) , I ve been a member of the jury for years in my school.

The candidates are people who have  experience but not the degree that would entitle them to a higher salary ( stupid I know but that's how it is). The candidates have about 20 minutes to convince the jury that they have all the skills required for that type of job, and the jury decides to " give" them the degree or not. (  they don't have to take the exam .)

Dunno if that may be of any help.  

 

[/quote]

 

Joy SpJoy Springring

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[quote user="Frenchie"]

I don't have time right now Chancer, but I will PM you today and give you some hints. [:)]

" I saw on the news that this years new intake of teachers are to hit the ground running and will go straight into the classrooms unassisted, green as it were, that must be a baptism of fire in some of the schools dont you think? "

That's for sure, it's n'importe quoi...  But unfortunately for them, that's how it is going to be .............

Good heavens, I don't know how they will cope with up to 36 pair of eyes watching them on day 1, ready to find " the fault" .........

[/quote]

Oooops ...... I theenk sumsing went a bit wrong ...

Hi Frenchie,

That is very useful info, many thanks Ma'am !

Hope you settled down very well in BsN?

Cheers from Ernie

 

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What puzzles me, is that when I lived en France there were so few, if any, opportunities for work (teaching/translating) despite my degrees and experience.

In the UK this month alone e mails have been flying for me to do paternity leave, adult education etc and these are jobs paying over 1k a week. (All I need is a qualification and far more importantly a CRB check.)

However, none of these jobs has yet been advertised, it's all word of mouth from colleagues, which got me thinking - there must also have been many jobs for me in France, but it comes down to WHO you know, not WHAT you know.
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Celine, you have highlighted a very good point that seems to be overlooked by people moving to France seeking work. In that networking has always been an important component of job hunting and that in moving to France you are not going to have the network that you have probably built up in the UK over a lifetime.

Also the UK is more cosmopolitain and accepting of foreign workers, whereas in France dare I say a French person will always be given priority.
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