Excerpts from an article in
The Australian:
French worked up over hours
Emma-Kate Symons,
ParisFebruary 04, 2005
Socialist Party figures accusing the Right of wreaking "ideological revenge", unions and white-collar workers will march in most large French cities in defence of "les trente-cinq heures", or each worker's right to clock on for no longer than 35 hours a week.
Despite earlier suggestions the law would be abolished, both Mr Raffarin and President Jacques Chirac have made clear they will not completely junk the piece of social engineering that was designed to entrench a better national quality of life and lower unemployment. The reason? The 35-hour week is now deemed an "acquired right".
However, this was followed by a return to record high unemployment, a slump in economic growth, and a political backlash at the 2002 election when the Socialists' working-class base deserted the party.
Former IMF head Michel Camdessus late last year handed a report to the French Government that found "decline is a real threat", and growth prospects would be limited without a sharp change in policy direction.
Unemployment in France rivals Germany, which this week recorded 5 million jobless, or 12 per cent, a post-reunification high.
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