---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 16:18:31 -0800 From: Sid Shniad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: Forum on Labor in the Global Economy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: France May Go to 35-Hour Work Week -Forw (fwd) > Date: Wed, 10 Dec 1997 11:07:15 -0800 > From: Alan Collins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: France May Go to 35-Hour Work Week > > > 12/10/1997 10:22 EST > > France May Go to 35-Hour Work Week > > PARIS (AP) -- France's leftist Cabinet adopted a measure calling for the > work week to be reduced to 35 hours from 39 hours by the year 2000, despite > protests by business leaders. > > A reduced work week, aimed at spreading jobs around to fight 12.5 percent > unemployment, was a main plank in the Socialists' electoral platform in the > legislative elections that brought them to power in June. > > A new poll released Wednesday indicated that 67 percent of the French would > accept a 35-hour week with slightly lower pay if it would help create jobs > in their company and industry. > > The survey, from the IFOP institute and published in the left-leaning daily > Liberation, was taken over the phone Dec. 4-5 with 1,082 people aged 15 and > older. No margin of error was given, but French polls of this size usually > carry a margin of up to 3 percent. > > Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has stressed there should be negotiations > between employers and workers on implementing the reduced work week. > > The government has already begun a publicity campaign to convince business > leaders the shorter hours won't hurt French competitiveness. > > That campaign is being countered by the national business federation CNPF > which vociferously opposed the change, contending it would simply raise > labor costs. They demand instead that the government loosen up rigid labor > laws and cut employment taxes. > > Under the plan, companies with over 20 employees would be required to > reduce non-overtime hours to 35 by Jan. 1, 2000, while smaller companies > would have until Jan. 1, 2002 to make the switch. > > Leading the conservative's opposition to the bill, President Jacques Chirac > on Wednesday told the Cabinet: ``I don't think that this bill, taking into > account its mandatory nature, is good for employment.'' > > The 35-hour work week bill will now be debated in parliament. > > > > --=_1346A5DA.8CED8054-- >
