Villepin & his decrees

[Deby]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/03/news/france.php

Interesting article here!  Villepin is pressing forward with his reforms and will no doubt face the wrath of french unions when they all return in September.

Remind me to ensure that my travel arrangements are completed before then, as no doubt flights/ports/motorways will be blocked not to mention the various other strikes which will effect daily french life.

We will wait and see. here is another article which goes on to explain the theory as well as discussing what needs to be done.

http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2005/07/26/business/workcol27.php

Deby

[Teamedup]

I haven't sort of 'got' this reform, making it easier to sack people.

How does that encourage people to employ more people?

[Deby]

TU, good question. 

I have updated my post and added another link which provides the theory. The link further goes on to explain what needs to be done.

Deby

[SaligoBay]

How does that encourage people to employ more people?

Because as an employer you can take more risks?   At the moment you can only afford to employ one person because you know that even if they're no good, you won't be able to get rid of them.  Now you'll be able to hire 2 or 3 and keep the best one, ditching the other two unceremoniously along the way!

If all employers do this, you have this wandering stock of workers moving from job to job, trying to be the One-Who-Gets-Kept.  True, they have no job security, but at least they have a job, and aren't on those embarrassingly high unemployment figures!

Monsieur de Villepin is noble, charming, and knowledgeable.  I'm sure he knows best.  

[Deimos]

Another aspect may be that, as a business grows, so there becomes a threshold where the workload is too much for the existing staff. Thus one either turns away work or risks employing another person in the hope that business will continue to grow such that there will be enough work for the new employee (and hoping that the increased work you see is a sustained growth rather than a “blip”). I can see how cautions employers may be reserved about the risks of employing additional people they cannot lose (easily/cheaply).

Also, higher unemployment probably means that there is a lower staff turnover, people keeping their jobs for security. Were there a higher staff turnover, maybe employers would be a bit more confidant about risking taking somebody on as, should the growth by a “blip” then in all probability somebody would leave before too long and then not be replaced.

I’m sure that being able to “shed” staff is not the only reservation. Many jobs have additional costs (office space, desk, van, tools, etc.) but at least there are more “one off” costs whereas an employee’s costs go on and on.

Ian

[Patf]

There was a short programme a few weeks ago on Radio 4 about business in France. One man who employed about 20 people complained about the difficulties with getting rid of staff. The Unions sue and employers are even forced to find alternative jobs for them sometimes. Another was having to close down his business because of the impossibility of cutting back and economising . The mayor of Montpellier was on the programme talking about the importance of tourism, and how much they welcome British visitors - a bit smarmy. Pat.

[Teamedup]

?????????? Still don't understand as people could be taken on on CDD's. If they are any good can be asked if they would like to stay on. If they aren't let the contract end.

 

 

 

 

The folks I know won't take employees on because it costs too much to do so. Those cotisations! And these new things still don't mean that they can get rid or 'old' staff.

 

Say if you take on three  people under this new rule................ if this is how this system is going to work........... and they are brilliant and you realise that your current staff are worse than useless in comparison......... you still can't get rid of them.

 

 

[Deby]

Also productivity and standards will increase.  Employees will then make an effort to actually work/shine so to speak There is nothing more annoying than working with a colleague that does not give a toss about what they do because of their belief that they will never get fired. 

?????????? Still don't understand as people could be taken on on CDD's. If they are any good can be asked if they would like to stay on. If they aren't let the contract end.

CDD's can only run for a minimum period and only be repeated twice.  The French or seek a CDI because they still want a job for life. It is also compounded by the Banks not giving loans/mortgages etc without a CDI. The other institutions will need to change too.

Deby

[Richardbk]

The principal problem is that emplyees are double protected. They are highly protected in their job from getting the sack and if they should ever loose their job they are also well protected in terms of redundency pay and payouts. The current proposals are to shift gradually to a system of having a more flexible work force to encourage companies to more easily hire and fire, but at the same time keep many of the benefits should you become unemployed - for me this is step in the right direction, but so far the implementation has been very modest.

regs

 

Richard

[Tresco]

Here's Guardians slant in it, from around the same time of the International Herald Tribune article Deby posted above;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1541657,00.html

It covers roughly the same ground, but with an additional slant.

Saligo Bay said:

M. de Villepin is noble, charming and knowledgable....

I know there was a hint of irony it SB's comment, but this Guardian article implies that his popularity has risen so much he may well stand a chance against Sarkozy (if he runs:laugh)for the Presididency!!!

Flipping heck, after 4 years of 'Sarko Watch', I never saw this coming, or is this just journo's making things up while there is no news from France for 4 weeks?