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Goodbye to the 35hr week.


zeb
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So the government have done what they threatened to do and dumped the 35 hour week. A real blow to the workers who will now probably be expected to work longer hours for the same salaries.

I heard one minister saying that it would create more jobs. How?

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Apparently, the thinking WAS that the 35 hour week would  create more jobs, since the workers had less time to do the jobs, so it ought to have needed more of them to do the same work

BUT: they appear to have found that it simply stopped investment. No investment, no jobs. New enterprise owners simply couldn't afford it, so they either didn't bother, or went elsewhere in the EC

At least, that was my understanding of it after a discussion during a pub-quiz last night.

I'm sure DickSmith will be along soon to tell me I'm talking rubbish as usual

Alcazar

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[quote]So the government have done what they threatened to do and dumped the 35 hour week. A real blow to the workers who will now probably be expected to work longer hours for the same salaries. I heard on...[/quote]

the economics are quite simple. The overheads of employing somebody that can just do 35 hours a week is not worth it. Added to this there is no flexibility in terms of work to allow for changes in supply/demand. Finally the french have also realised that it is impossible to maintain such as system when other member countries of the EU do not follow. In a few years there will be complete mobility in terms of companies operating in other member states - no need for local registration etc - just move your workers to operate in another country under the laws applicable in the EU country where the company is registered. Under this system the 35 hour week is simply untenable.

The unions will winge and the 8% of the population that are actually union members will probably go on walk about for a few weeks - and the 69% that support the 8% will  also moan a little - but in the end they have little choice if France is to try to remain competative.

BTW for most people employed at cadre level or those running small businesses, the 35 week never actually happened.

regs Richard

 

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quote: ** I'm sure DickSmith will be along soon to tell me I'm talking rubbish as usual **

Just console yourself with the thought that you're a part of a select but not particularly small group, Alcazar! At such times I always think of Elgar - marching.

Our stonemasons laughed when we asked them about the 35-hour week. They tell us that they normally work 40-45 hours, though somewhat dependent on the weather - paricularly in winter. Still, they would say that to their client, wouldn't they?? This week they start work 7.30am-ish with a floodlight.
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Our stonemasons laughed when we asked them about the 35-hour week.

The guy working at our place arrives around 8 o'clock and leaves about four.  He appears to work a 35 hour week.

We asked him what he thought of the 35 hour week changing when the final decision is reached in about ten days time?   He gave a typical Gallic shrug, blew a raspberry, and said "je m'en fous ".

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There was an item on one of the news channels last night about some research into comparative productivity per man-hours worked. France came out best, better even than USA and certainly better than the UK. So what does that say about the 35hr week? I suppose overall those countries who work long hours will still have greater productivity than France. Pat.
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For those who do a 35 or even 34 hour week, well as the pay didn't go down when they got this priviledge, I don't see why it should go up.

And for the likes of many in restaurants, due to the lack of good patrons, what difference will it make to their 60 and more usually 80-90 hour week for the SMIC. They can't pay overtime as that much overtime is illegal. Simple uncontrolled exploitation.

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The 35-hour week hit most people in the pocket. When it came in they had to do less work for the same pay, so guess what happened? Companies froze their pay. And those who previously chose to increase their earnings by working overtime were no longer allowed to do so (only 40 or so hours of overtime allowed in a whole year). A curtailment of the individual's right to choose their own priorities in life, in my view.

Also, most people at management level (even junior managers) carried on working long hours (even longer in some cases as they had to do work that their staff no longer had time for). They get some days off in lieu but many don't take them all due to pressure of work.

The other effect was to keep non-workers on the dole; companies could not afford to take on more staff because they were handicapped by the 35 hr restriction, and foreign businesses did not want to come to France.

I think the government is beginning to see sense

Jo

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Firstly,who would want come to france without the 35 hour working week?not the americans for sure, so who does that leave not china when it can make most things at what 10% of the european costs and for the most part most not the rest of the third world.So when france has to compete against the rest of europe what does she do? attempte to make the rest of europe do the same via the WTD.Would the euro dream carry on without the money the UK puts in the,no wonder the french do not want turkey to join the EU.The best for UK citizens is in europe but not run by europe
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