France: Pressure Mounts on 35-hour Week

By European Industrial Relations Observatory

Criticism of the statutory 35-hour week has been mounting in France's governing coalition and in employer circles, raising fears amongst trade unions.

The 'Aubry laws' of 1998 and 2000 on the reduction in working time introduced the statutory 35-hour week. Employer associations and the parliamentary right have consistently fought this legislation. The conservative government that took office in 2002 did not mount a head on attack on the law, but relaxed it in certain respects. The 'Fillon law' of January 2003 kept the statutory working time at 35 hours, but raised the annual overtime quota from 130 to 180 hours and allowed companies to pay a 10% premium for overtime work, ra5ther than the normal 25% until the end of 2005.

The MEDEF employer confederation expressed concern some time ago that the government was being too hesitant in taking on the 'radical' reforms that should be implemented. Some members of the free market wing of the governing coalition published a report this year on the economic and social consequences of the restrictions on working time. Other pressures on the legislation came from several large corporations and further demands from the employers federations. The Minister for the Economy has since called for relaxation of the laws. The President has, however spoken of the 35 -hour week as "an established right" even though he did not actually support it.

Unions have responded to the Prime Ministers moves to relax the laws. The CGT has accused the government of attacking those in the worst social predicament. They also see it as a way for companies to threaten relocation to undermine rights.

(EIRO Observer. update 5, 2004)