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| Europe |
| France says 35-hour work week is failing |
| 2004-05-18 |
| The French government Monday described the 35-hour working week as a financial disaster that was costing the state billions of dollars and promised to reform the system despite fierce union opposition. The finance minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, said that the 35-hour week had burdened the state with additional social charges and that it had demoralized millions of workers. "The Socialists made a decision which is not compatible with our responsibilities to Europe," he said. He suggested a system whereby those who wanted to stay on the 35-hour week could do so, but those who wanted to work and earn more had greater latitude. The 35-hour week came into effect in 1997, as the Socialists’ idea for reducing unemployment. Unemployment now is just under 10 percent. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #12 Hey .com, where you been? Olympic Gardens? I just came to that realization the other day. If they do nothing, they get Sharia. If they wait too long before reacting, the only one that'll save them is Le Pen. Afterwards, we'll have to deal with the human toll of ethnic cleansing, and then spend two or three generations listening to the Frogs blame it all on us since we were too capitalistic or unilateral or whatever their BS excuse of the day is. Lemonde will probably print some cartoons of Uncle Sam jerking off on Madeleine or some similarly low-life crap. The only way they're going to win this war without wearing burkas or jackboots is by growing their way out of it. They need to dump Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity and get on with Life, Liberty, and Property. The French being the French, will ignore their Sabine Herolds, screw it all up, and blame everyone else. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2004-05-18 8:07:50 PM |
| #11 I'll Take John Locke and door number three, please. 35 hours per week? Gads, here I am trying to put in 35 hours per day (I knew that something was wrong....lol) Best Wishes, |
| Posted by: Traveller 2004-05-18 7:39:42 PM |
| #10 "They have three choices: Sharia, Facism, or John Locke." Lol! Now THAT's a classic!!! Good 'un, 11A5S! Worthy of plagiarizing, which I plan to do! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-05-18 7:37:02 PM |
| #9 But Bulldog, Marx said that the total amount of capital was fixed, so it must be true! /sarcasm Poor French. They think that they can wave a magic wand and, poof, dirty "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism will go away. Retards. Capitalism is capitalism. It doesn't come in French, Hindu, Latino, or "Anglo-Saxon" flavors. They have three choices: Sharia, Facism, or John Locke. Time is running out. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2004-05-18 7:03:44 PM |
| #8 Why blame just the 35 hour work week. France is failing. |
| Posted by: B 2004-05-18 6:50:59 PM |
| #7 OOPOOPs 27 hours week plus 18 euro minimum wage |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-05-18 6:49:21 PM |
| #6 Ima think 26 hours week solve all problems |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-05-18 6:48:27 PM |
| #5 ...I guess we have to go back to the "finite wealth" mode of thinking beloved of morons everywhere. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-05-18 6:40:40 PM |
| #4 What kind of enonomic wizard was it who persuaded the French that a mandatory 35-hour week would create jobs? Socialist stupidity: will it ever ceases to surprise? |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-05-18 6:39:11 PM |
| #3 lazy bastarts...stop whinning about dominace of american economics and culture if you can't put the time in....35 hours and probably paid for 40...nothing but big babies |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-05-18 6:04:04 PM |
| #2 France's 35-hour work week was supposed to take more people to do the same job; it was actually an employment ploy (which, with unemployment hovering around 10%, must not have worked). Frogs aren't allowed to work overtime. Of course, it also guarantees you can't make any more money. The socialists' dream come true: everyone is equally poor. (except them, of course) |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-05-18 5:41:15 PM |
| #1 35 hours a week, and an unemployment rate "just under 10 percent". Hmm... How do they calculate unemployment in France or the EU in general? Does it include only people looking for work, or all people not actually working or retired or what? He suggested a system whereby those who wanted to stay on the 35-hour week could do so, but those who wanted to work [Sacre bleu] and earn more had greater latitude |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-05-18 5:18:19 PM |