Posted on 02/05/2005 8:27:15 AM PST by nypokerface
PARIS (Reuters) - Thousands of French workers, unhappy with government plans to make them work longer hours without the guarantee of more pay, have launched nationwide protests vowing to resist the reforms.
About 12,000 demonstrators shrugged off freezing temperatures and took to the streets of the southwestern city of Toulouse to defend their prized 35-hour work week, according to the police on Saturday. Organisers said more than 20,000 people turned out.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin's conservatives say rules governing the work week must be relaxed to help cut unemployment, currently close to 10 percent, and make the world's fifth largest economy more competitive.
Four of France's five major unions have called for nationwide protests, saying the reform backed by President Jacques Chirac, would sound the death knell of the 35-hour week and force workers to put in extra hours without extra pay.
"Chirac, Raffarin, are you sleeping? Your workers are in the street," chanted demonstrators in Toulouse.
Deputies from the opposition Socialist Party also defended the 35-hour week, which was introduced in 1998 under a Socialist-led government.
Raffarin is wary of large public protests after voters punished his government for unpopular economic cutbacks in regional and European Parliament elections last year.
Although no elections are due before 2007, the cash-strapped government is concerned French voters could express their anger over reforms when they vote in a referendum on the European Union constitution before the summer.
Both Raffarin and Chirac have urged voters to approve the treaty on its merits and not allow themselves to be sidetracked by domestic political issues.
A recent poll showed some 77 percent of workers surveyed wanted to keep their working week at the current level. Only 18 percent wanted to work longer hours.
The proposed reform would allow workers to put in more than 35 hours a week in return for more pay if they reach a collective accord with their management. They could work up to 48 hours a week, the maximum allowed under EU regulations.
Unions argue that many firms' parlous financial situation will prevent them from letting employees work overtime for more money and that company bosses could force staff against their will to work extra hours without extra pay.
See #14. The idea was to reduce unemployment. But since the cost of labor was forced artificially higher, corporations can't afford to hire more people. They just keep the plants open for fewer hours, make less stuff, and get forced out of the world market because their goods are too expensive. The end result is higher unemployment.
You see the opposite in the US. If a business is unprofitable, it goes belly up and people are laid off. They then get jobs somewhere else, in businesses that are still making profits. Thus the weakest companies and lines of businesses disappear, and the stronger companies grow to take their places. The process is called "creative destruction," which is the opposite of the socialist ideal of "lifetime employment."
It's mean and tough and disagreeable to those who are fired, but in the long run it's healthier for the economy and the employment rates.
willie, willie, willie:
Just what do you think your 'salary' is? It's what your employer PAYS for your 'services'. You can trade 'benefits' for cash salary. You were whining that the Bush economy was somehow going to cheat you out of employer-paid benefits - if the benefit comes from what would otherwise be your salary - it isn't being 'paid' by the employer - he is just deducting the payment before he writes the check for your salary. Just like you really pay 15-some odd per cent SSI - only 7.5% is deducted from your check BEFORE you get it. Sheesh - you need someone to take one of your crayons and sketch this out for you.
It's kind of like how businesses never pay taxes, just consumers but I'm afraid that would only confuse you more. I suggest you get educated in economics and basic accounting before some guy from Nigeria trys to make you 'rich'.
How do these idiots make money?? Here in NYC where I live, you work 40 hours a week you`ll be in debt up to your azz in no time thanks to RINO Bloomberg taxing the living hell out of anything and everything that exists, but to work 35 hours or less is insane. How do these people make ends meet or even save money? Or are they making $200 bucks an hour or something?
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