Bosch Staff Deal Blow to 35hr Week
Employees at a German car parts plant in France have voted to work longer hours with no extra pay to save their jobs, dealing a possibly fatal blow to the country's 35-hour working week. Some 70% of the 820 workers at a Bosch diesel pump plant near Lyon backed a management plan to work 36...
Employees at a German car parts plant in France have voted to work longer hours with no extra pay to save their jobs, dealing a possibly fatal blow to the country's 35-hour working week.
Some 70% of the 820 workers at a Bosch diesel pump plant near Lyon backed a management plan to work 36 hours a week without compensation. The company said yesterday the deal would allow it to continue production in France rather than moving it to the Czech Republic.
Employers and leading members of the current centre-right government, including the finance minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, say the 35-hour working week - the flagship policy of the previous Socialist regime - makes French industry much less competitive than its rivals.
Unions fear the Bosch deal could kill off the legislation.
Siemens recently asked 2,000 workers at two plants in Germany to up their working week from 35 to 40 hours, for no extra pay, or see their jobs move to Hungary. The workers chose to keep their jobs.
Some 70% of the 820 workers at a Bosch diesel pump plant near Lyon backed a management plan to work 36 hours a week without compensation. The company said yesterday the deal would allow it to continue production in France rather than moving it to the Czech Republic.
Employers and leading members of the current centre-right government, including the finance minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, say the 35-hour working week - the flagship policy of the previous Socialist regime - makes French industry much less competitive than its rivals.
Unions fear the Bosch deal could kill off the legislation.
Siemens recently asked 2,000 workers at two plants in Germany to up their working week from 35 to 40 hours, for no extra pay, or see their jobs move to Hungary. The workers chose to keep their jobs.
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Airbus to Cut 1,600 British Jobs in European Shakeup
- French Minister Concerned Over Mittal's Arcelor Bid
- Job Cuts Prompt Walkout By Libération Employees
- Kroes May Sue France for Alstom Bail-out
- State Sells France Telecom Shares
- Live in France, Work in Britain and Help Out Eurotunnel
- France and Germany Return to Growth
- Air France and Klm Plan Merger
- Air France and Klm to Join Forces
- Télécom to Buy Back 13% of Orange
- Raffarin Expects Leniency on Deficits
- EU Threatens France's Plans to Save Alstom
- Elf Trial Hit By Lawyer's Revelations
- Soros faces insider dealing charge in France
- Télécom hangs up on MobilCom
- France Télécom Readies Lifeboat
- Causes and Events of the French Revolution
- Riots in France Underscore Rising Racial Tensions
- A Year in the World
- Surgeons in France Perform the World’s First Face Transplant
- History of New France
- Divers Recover Large Tail Section from Air France Flight
- Air France Flight Likely Broke Apart in Flight
- History of Bordeaux
- What do the Colors of the French Flag Represent
- History of French Flag
- French Wars of Religion